by Doug Mitchell

The following is the viewpoint of the writer, a Saskatoon resident and President of SOS Elms Coalition Inc.

In his op-ed, City Hall secrecy still clouds debate on River Landing, (SP, Feb. 25), Joe Kuchta raises concerns about the financial transparency surrounding the proposed high profile hotel and condo development.   Other recent concerns about that project have been expressed  by Linda Moskalyk in her op-ed  Don’t forget the value of city’s old trees, (SP, Feb. 17) and by Don Kossick and in his letter (SP Feb. 3) which calls for an urban forest charter to protect mature trees. They, like many others, were dismayed by the removal of nine stately mature American Elms last month.  For some 80 years those trees, known as the Gathercole elms, had stood near the downtown end of the Traffic Bridge, with the potential to live for another 200 years.  A living heritage, they were sacrificed to make way for a development project of concrete and glass, whose longevity and esthetics can hardly compare with the destroyed elms.

SOS Elms Coalition is a non-profit organization dedicated to the care and appreciation of urban forests in the communities of Saskatchewan. We took part in the citizens’ unsuccessful campaign to save the Gathercole building and its trees.  The building was torn down in 2004, but we continued to lobby City Council to preserve the Gathercole elms.

Those trees outlived the building, but their fate was sealed when Council decided to sell them and the land they occupied, known as “Parcel Y”. The City asked for proposals for a multi-million dollar project on that land, with no stipulation to keep the elms as part of the project.  The elms continued to stand tall and healthy while prospective developers failed to prove they had the money to get the City’s approval to proceed with the project.

Last year, after being given numerous extensions, developers still had not raised the necessary capital.  We thought the elms might yet have a chance to survive for posterity. We argued for a re-thinking of the whole project, to set aside and protect at least the stately row of six mature elms nearest to the Traffic Bridge. Councilor Clark moved to open the project for revision, but the Mayor and the other nine Councilors voted to “stick to the plan”. A death knell for the elms sounded when a local corporation delivered the balance owing to the City for purchase of Parcel Y (SP, Dec. 3, 2010). For a total of $5.24 million it purchased this property, which was appraised at $11 million last year. Construction is supposed to begin this spring.

Loss of the Gathercole elms has strengthened the resolve of SOS Elms Coalition to focus on convincing the public, city administrators and City Council to establish an effective legal framework to protect Saskatoon’s mature trees.