By David Helwig
SooToday.com
Monday, November 02, 2009

Sault Ste. Marie, a place so environmentally friendly that our City Council debated last year whether to bill ourselves as Canada's Greenest City, is a little less verdant today.

On Sunday morning, a work crew removed some seemingly healthy trees, including a stately maple much loved by neighbours, from the gated front yard of 659-661 Queen Street.

The property, located between the Duke of Windsor and Mary's Lunch across the street from Smokey's BBQ Pit and Patio, was a tiny oasis of privately owned urban parkland.

It recently was sold and will become the new home of Pita Pit, a quick-service restaurant chain that promotes fresh thinking and healthy eating.

Alison Walton, owner of the Tiny Bubbles store at 332 Queen Street East, had gotten wind of the intended tree removal and she started to organize a petition and public awareness campaign late last week.

Now, Walton is considering launching a political campaign to convince Sault Ste. Marie City Council to do what some other large Canadian cities have done: impose restrictions on the right of landowners to remove trees from their properties.

Only one of five large trees remained in the yard after workers finished the felling work.