Hamilton agrees to $400,000 tree-planting program for Red Hill Valley

Stoney Creek News
By Kevin Werner

Hamilton is spending $400,000 to replace trees that were clear cut along the Red Hill Valley Hydro corridor and the Hamilton Beach strip.

Politicians at their July 1 general issues committee meeting approved Ward 5 councillor Chad Collins’ motion to spend the money for the tree planting program after Hydro One chopped down trees along the corridor this year.

Hydro One has offered $20,000 to the city in compensation for the Red Hill Valley clear cut, and another $10,000 for the Hamilton Beach areas.

The city’s forestry staff says Ward 5 will lose 815 ash trees, and “hundreds” of other ash trees in Confederation Park because of the Emerald ash borer.

The Davis Creek Community Planning Team has requested the city plant at least 2,000 trees in the neighbourhoods bounded by the Red Hill Valley, the escarpment, King Street East and Centennial Parkway.

Earlier this year Hydro One removed trees and any vegetation that would grow above two metres along the Red Hill Valley’s 2.5 km from Glen Castle Park to the brow of the escarpment.  The program is designed to prevent any impact to the power lines.

The last time Hydro One removed vegetation in the areas was in 2007.

The funding for the tree planting program will be taken from the Hamilton Beach Reserve account and the Ward 5 area rating reserve account.