To mark Canada's 150th anniversary, the City of Ottawa planted several dozen maple trees in a park near Westboro Beach, but now many are already dead, or dying. On the corner of Churchill Avenue North and Selby Avenue, a plaque on a large rock reads "Canada 150 Maple Grove," and behind it, four-year-old trees sit thirsty and struggling. The trees sit on land owned by the National Capital Commission, but the city planted them in 2017 and is responsible for maintaining them. More than half of trees at a commemorative forest area near Westboro Beach are dead or dying due mostly to 'shallow soils and frequent flooding,' according to the City of Ottawa. Natalia Ward thinks the reins of the commemorative forest should be handed over to the Westboro Beach Community Association.

Source: CBC News July 08, 2021 07:52 UTC