Dozens of mature elms to be chopped down because of Deerfoot Trail expansion work

While the city has been working to add more trees, some Calgarians are concerned dozens of mature elms will soon be lost due to construction.

They have just started cutting branches, and this month, 35 decades-old elm trees along 12th Street S.E. are scheduled to be chopped down because of the expansion work to Deerfoot Trail.

You can barely see Deerfoot from the trees, but the province’s work to widen the highway means that the city has to move one of its sewer lines.

Carol Christoffersen enjoys the huge elm trees outside her office, but soon they’ll be cut down.

“I bring my dog to work and we walk along these trees. It’s just such a nice break from being in the office to come out and have this little bit of nature in the middle of the industrial area,” she said.

“It’s really sad to see them go.”

The sewer line will soon be placed under 12th Street S.E. between 58th and 64th avenues.

The province’s contractor, Aecon, needs to remove the trees on the east side of 12th Street S.E.

“A few days ago, these signs went up and it’s a matter of like, OK, well, next week we’re coming to cut down these trees,” Christoffersen said.

Due to the potential risk of spreading Dutch elm disease, all parts of the trees will be destroyed and can’t be repurposed, stored or used as firewood.

Under city guidelines, Aecon will be responsible for the cost of removing the trees and must compensate Calgary.

It’s unclear if this would include replanting.

“It would be really nice if they could just do it anywhere other than where it’s going to affect these trees,” Christoffersen said.

“It’ll take another 50 years for anything else to grow to be that size.”

The trees are expected to be removed by the end of March, with crews working overnight to minimize impacts for businesses.

People who work in the area say it’s a shame to lose the big, healthy trees when the city has been working to improve its canopy.

“They’re saying, you know, ‘We’re going to plant this many more trees because it’ll make our city greener and more beautiful’ and whatever, but then they’ll come through and just wipe out this that’s already here—seems counterproductive,” Christoffersen said.

Neither the city nor Aecon would comment on losing the trees, both saying the province is responsible for this project.

CTV News contacted the province and received a written statement from Transportation and Economic Corridors Minister Devin Dreeshen:

“The existing elm trees along 12th Street S.E. need to be removed to allow space to safely work on the realignment of a major sanitary forcemain owned by the City of Calgary. The forcemain needs to be relocated from within the highway right-of-way to accommodate ongoing construction on the Deerfoot Trail Improvements project,” the statement said.

“The city is responsible for any decisions pertaining to where and when trees will be replanted, as well as the number of trees that will be planted in the future; those decisions will be made after the project has been completed.”