The planting of trees will occur once landscaping begins. The Contractor is not at the stage of beginning landscaping design work, that will come once infrastructure design work is completed and under construction. Currently they are updating and maintaining the inventory of trees that have been removed.
When the landscaping stage of LRT project starts, KEV is required to submit landscaping designs based on City of Ottawa standards. These include selecting a variety of native species of trees to plant. The variety is important in order to reduce invasive species wiping out full areas of like trees, such as occurred with the emerald ash borer. The specialists will take a look at existing species in the area and then determine what should be planted. The planting will be directed by landscape plans for areas along the alignment, including boulevards, parks and other greenspaces.
Byron Lynear Park
Final designs for Byron Linear Park and Richmond Road Complete Street are expected by the end of 2021. The plan will be developed to meet the criteria of information provided from the community through the public consultation process during the Planning Stage. Actual landscaping will begin when construction is completed. Once the City has reviewed the Plan, it will be shared with the community.
There will be many trees planted along the Byron Linear Park. Once complete, the tunnel will be covered by a few metres of soil and specific tree species will be selected whose root structures will not harm or be harmed by the concrete tunnel below.
The Byron Linear Park concept design was developed through Working Group meetings and several public meetings/consultations. The resulting concept design is available on the Stage 2 website Ottawa.ca/Stage2.
Connaught Park
In the case of Connaught Park, the NCC would review the landscaping plans and species list to ensure all of their standards and requirements are met.
The trees will also be guaranteed. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to ensure that the trees are watered and kept alive particularly through the first couple years after planting when the risk of the tree not taking is at its highest.
The Stage 2 Project Agreement states:
- Every deciduous tree removed with a caliper of 100 mm or larger should be replaced with two 70 mm caliper trees.
- Every coniferous tree should be replaced with two 1.8m high trees.
