A birch tree at a busy downtown Victoria intersection has been removed to make way for a new crosswalk and bike lanes, despite a petition being launched to save it.
City of Victoria crews started removing the 30-year-old tree at the intersection of Government and Wharf streets Monday morning.
Some of the people who had called on the city to spare the birch were there to witness the tree come down.
"I'm heartbroken. I feel like the heart and soul of the city is being cut out here. This is a very iconic tree in the heart of downtown," said Verna Stone. "If we can't figure out a way to work around the nature that we have here, I don't know, what's wrong with us?"
The tree was slated for removal after the city said it had to come down to accommodate pedestrian and cyclist improvements at the high-traffic intersection.
This is what’s left of the “iconic” tree that many people tried to save. It came down today as part of the city’s plans to make upgrades to the intersection https://t.co/jZzfpIgRGX pic.twitter.com/TkmcUhxcLl
— Sarah Reid (@CTVNewsSarah) January 29, 2019
But the plan was criticized by environmental advocates who wanted the city to rethink the removal.
"The main problem in losing this tree is the statement that it makes to the world about how we value or don’t value our urban forest," Janet Simpson of The Community Trees Matter Network said last week.
A petition was started on Change.org to save the tree, with the person who launched it saying they were "outraged" over the removal.
"This tree has been here for decades and I have yet to see any functional reason for its removal besides the city have an idea for that intersection that doesn’t include it.
Outrageous. Build around it," wrote Katie Bernardo in a petition to Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps and council.
Not everyone who saw the tree cut down Monday was against it, with at least one person saying he was hopeful it would make the incoming Wharf Street bike lanes safer.
"If this improves our safety, I might be on board with it," said Richard, a cyclist. "I might have to experience it first before I make a final judgment on it, but it’s a step in the right direction, I think."
The city has defended its decision saying it pondered saving the tree, but realized there was no other option.
"We have gone around it a couple of times and there isn’t anything we can do to save the tree that would allow us to reach our goals,” said Fraser Work, the city's Director of Engineering and Public Works.