Trees chopped down in downtown's Ivey Park to make way for sewer work

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 10, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: March 10

Londoners who predominant Ivey Park astatine the Forks of the Thames were amazed erstwhile they came for their regular walks to find much than 100 trees had been chopped down by the city.

The metropolis had to chop down 66 ample trees, 39 tiny trees and a hedge, said Ashley Rammeloo, London's manager of sewers.

"We ne'er similar to instrumentality down trees, but we'll beryllium replacing them," Rammeloo said. "We're bringing successful 7 large-calibre trees that are the largest ones we tin really plant, truthful that's thing that's supra and beyond what we usually bash for operation projects."

The trees were chopped down due to the fact that the sewer that runs underneath the Thames River and provides sanitary work for downtown has to beryllium replaced. It was constructed successful 1935 and has travel to the extremity of its utile life, Rammalloo said.

"It's captious that we regenerate it earlier we person failure. On apical of that, with each the maturation we're seeing successful the downtown, we besides request much capacity, truthful we're making it bigger arsenic well," she said.

Londoner Teresa Westwood walks done Ivey Park astir each day. She said it was an "unpleasant surprise" to spot truthful galore trees gone.

"It's pugnacious due to the fact that the metropolis is increasing and if you don't bash the improvement you endure later," she said. "I recognize wherefore they had to bash it but that doesn't mean it wasn't a shock. The interaction was unbelievable."

John Hassan is simply a retired Londoner who besides walks done the parkland daily.

"London goes supra and beyond to prevention arsenic galore trees arsenic possible," helium said. "It's not similar these were ace old-growth trees. Trees ever travel back, and if it wasn't necessary, the metropolis wouldn't bash it."

Londoners should bash themselves a favour and locomotion done the downtown and on the river, Hassan said.

"Leave your car astatine location and locomotion down here. It's not arsenic appealing this clip of year, but it's thing everyone should do."

The downtown sewer capableness enlargement task includes the replacement of the existing sanitary sewer siphon astatine the forks of the Thames.