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Rotary to green up Canoe Beach Park for Earth Day

Local club plans to plant oak trees to replace danger trees
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The Rotary Club of Salmon Arm-Shuswap will be planting oak trees at Canoe Beach Park. (File photo)

A wish of the Rotary Club of Salmon Arm-Shuswap is pairing up nicely with the needs of the city at Canoe Beach.

The Rotary club wrote a letter to city council explaining that it would like to plant trees in Canoe Beach Park in honour of Earth Day, April 22.

Coun. Kevin Flynn said he would like to see the city move forward with this as his neighbour Fred Goodman has been speaking to him about it.

Flynn said Rotary is planting trees nationally. Although he thinks club members were initially considering planting at the Blackburn or Little Mountain soccer fields, after talking to Darin Gerow, the city’s manager of roads and parks, they learned additional and replacement trees are needed in the Canoe park as some of the older trees have become a safety hazard.

Rotary’s letter said the club would purchase and plant oak trees in concert with the city. There are three varieties of trees available – bur, English and northern oak, about six to seven feet tall.

Rotary’s letter stated that, if approved, it will be imperative that the planted trees be regularly watered in the first year. The responsibility would fall on city staff as it would be beyond the capacity of the club to do it.

Mayor Alan Harrison asked city engineer Jenn Wilson if staff had any concerns about the plan.

She said it would be difficult to get staff out to Canoe to hand water, but there is a trip irrigation system that keeps the area well watered.

Council voted unanimously to proceed with the plan. Coun. Chad Eliason was absent.

Harrison asked Flynn to thank Mr. Goodman and the Rotary club.

Read more: High water levels on Shuswap Lake may close popular Canoe Beach

Read more: Salmon Arm man’s annual Remembrance Day trail work a tribute to veterans



martha.wickett@saobserver.net
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Martha Wickett

About the Author: Martha Wickett

came to Salmon Arm in May of 2004 to work at the Observer. I was looking for a change from the hustle and bustle of the Lower Mainland, where I had spent more than a decade working in community newspapers.
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