One councillor had some sharp words for the West Vancouver parks department April 28: It's time to rev up your chainsaws.
A row of unkempt cedar trees at the entrance to West Bay Park has dominated views and shadowed residents for 12 years, according to a delegation of Radcliffe Avenue and Maple Lane residents who spoke at the council meeting.
As the trees fall outside the parks master plan, Coun. Michael Lewis suggested the parks department hasten the removal process. "Get the chainsaw out, get them the hell out of there, let's be done with it," he said.
The removal of the trees has been contentious in the past, according to senior manager of parks Andrew Banks.
"The removal of trees is not the issue, per se. That can happen very, very fast. It's more in how we handle. .. the landscape of the area where trees are removed."
There is also no money for the removal, according to Banks, who said the parks department may end up looking to the neighbours to pay the bill.
For neighbour James Marshall, the council meeting was one more step in a lengthy process.
"This has been going on for so long that some of the neighbours that wanted the work done have passed away," he said.
There was a landscaping plan and partial funding in place to remove the trees but the plan was never executed, according to Marshall, who spoke on behalf of his neighbours.
"The enjoyment of their home has been replaced by a toxic, stressful, never-ending runaround by the district," he said.
The trees take the sun from her garden, according to Olga Kempo.
"The parks board planted but never ever trimmed or cared for this so-called hedge," she said. "I seem to have the misfortune of having West Vancouver for one of my neighbours."
One neighbour's experience of spearheading multiple fruitless petitions seems "almost Kafkaesque," according to Coun. Craig Cameron.
Parks department director Anne Mooi pledged to work with neighbours, but that wasn't enough for Coun. Bill Soprovich.
Soprovich requested council issue a strict deadline, but Mayor Michael Smith advised caution.
"We need to make sure that staff do their due diligence before we. .. let Coun. Lewis go charging in there, cutting down god knows what. We have to have process here," the mayor said.
