The stately Douglas fir towering on the edge of the fire hall lot on Miller Rd. will soon fall.
With the Miller Rd. fire hall project moving along – site preparation starting in coming days – the Bowen Island Municipality contractor has said that the tree (and a smaller cedar nearby) pose a safety risk for the new building and don’t align with fire smart principles. As a lone-standing Douglas fir (its neighbouring trees are much shorter) the tree is also more susceptible to wind storms, said BIM's corporate officer Hope Dallas at the Jan. 11 council meeting.
Once felled, the valuable log will remain on site for the time being as the municipality decides what to do with it, said Dallas.
“We also understand there is some sensitivity around the removal of the large Douglas fir. It is a very beautiful, iconic tree,” said Dallas. “We’ll have public notice to let folks know that it will be removed.”
