Park Board and community group to celebrate East 6th Avenue elm tree project

Jan 19, 2012 (No. 4) - This weekend, the Vancouver Park Board and a residents' group in East Vancouver will be marking the successful conclusion of a collaborative street tree project along East 6th Avenue which will see the first of 52 new elm trees planted to reinvigorate the unique Siberian elm canopy lining this street from Woodland Avenue to Nanaimo Street.

Last February, responding to the need to provide a safe streetscape, Park Board announced plans to replace 20% of the mature elms beneath electrical cables with young saplings.  This move significantly underestimated local residents' attachment to the established streetscape character and neighbourhood opposition to the proposed tree removal was swift and widespread. This led to the Park Board engaging the community through the formation of the East 6th Elms Joint Working Group, made up of six area residents, four Park Board staff and a City of Vancouver facilitator. 

Working closely together for the last eight months, the Joint Working Group has developed a cooperative approach to maintain a safe, healthy and beautiful urban forest. An innovative pruning, planting and long term management plan for East 6th Avenue was developed which sees all but five of the existing elms being protected and 52 new elms planted to fill the many gaps on the avenue. The community strongly supported the new plan when it was introduced at a recent open house.

On Saturday January 21st from 1 to 3 pm in the 1800 block of East 6th Avenue, residents are inviting their neighbours to a community celebration and a ceremonial planting of the first new elm. The road will be closed and the event will also include speeches, music, refreshments, crafts and children's games.

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Contacts:

Joyce Courtney
Communications Manager
Vancouver Park Board
604-257-8699, cell 604-861-4375
joyce.courtney@vancouver.ca

Inge Mueller-Langer
Resident Member of the East 6th Elms Joint Working Group
604-737-6949
inge123@shaw.ca

or

Faith Greer
Resident Member of the East 6th Elms Joint Working Group / East 6th Block Watch Captain
604-787-2546
fgreer@telus.net

The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation maintains over 220 parks and 40 major facilities throughout the City of Vancouver. The Park Board's mission is to provide, preserve and advocate for parks and recreation to benefit all people, communities and the environment.