A historic hedge that's in line for a haircut has some New Brunswick residents protesting in hopes of convincing municipal officials to spare the beloved shrubbery.
Residents of picturesque St. Andrews have been picketing in front of the hedge this week, carrying placards with slogans like "Honk for the hedge," "Home is where the hedge is" and "Hedges R Us."
They've also been gathering signatures for a petition to save the greenery which has been in place for 50 years and once appeared in an artist's rendering in Reader's Digest magazine of the "most handsome corner in Canada."
They’ve even dubbed it a “heritage hedge.”
"You know you have to pick your battles and I think this is a real good legitimate battle that we need to fight for," said Pam Jeffrey, a St. Andrews resident and one of the protesters fighting for the future of the foliage.
But the town's mayor told CTV Atlantic it's a simple safety issue. An engineering report found the hedge blocks the line of sight for motorists approaching the intersection, and therefore it needs to be trimmed back.
But the protesters believe there are better options.
"I’m thinking that four-way stops and crosswalks would be a better alternative to tearing down these beautiful hedges," said local resident Vikki MacDonald.
Another demonstrator complained that an earlier effort to trim down another hedge in the city left the greenery scarred and brutalized -- an eyesore, and something they don't want to see repeated on the historic and "handsome" corner.
"I don't want to drive by in the morning on my way to get coffee and see a bunch of branches sticking out of the side of that hedge, because it's going to be an enormous cut," said Joanna Bresnahan.
The demonstrators haven't said how long they're willing to fight for the hedge, and the town has not yet said when workers will arrive with chainsaws.
Protesters are seen picketing along the 'heritage hedge' that is in danger of getting a trim in St. Andrews, N.B.
With a report from CTV Atlantic
