Many residents in Okotoks have noticed the bareness of Veterans Way after the Town removed the mature poplar trees from the road side.

James Cameron, project engineer for the Veterans Way re-vamp, says the trees were in the way of power lines on one side and roots were impeding the sidewalk widening on the other.

"It's actually for the Veterans Way project, where on the west side the trees are being removed for a new multi-use pathway that will be 3 meters wide."

Cameron says the trees will be getting replaced once the project is in the landscaping phase in early summer.

He says some of the varieties are well known.

"So we'll have Foothills green ash, burr oak, Japanese tree lilac, and American elm trees up there."

Okotoks resident, Jennifer Pardy, says she's sad to see the poplar trees go.

"I drive past there about four times a day, dropping my daughter off at school and it's just a little sad." Pardy adds "They were such nice mature tree's, but it's understandable since they're trying to re-vamp the whole area, and if the tree roots and branches were getting in the way."

The Town has put a Q n' A on their website regarding the tree removal, you can click here to find that.

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