LETTER

Dead-tree problem

 

The owners here (rental condos) do not know how to deal with a large dead tree, adjacent to their homes and pool. The owner of the land which the tree is on tried to sell the lot a few years ago for $1m -- beautiful waterfront vacant land next to Parc Aquamarine. He brought in many trucks of fill to try to develop the land, but the owners here do not want a big development going up next door. Since their obstruction, the owner of the land will have nothing to do with the 12 condo owners here.

Eventually, the old tree will drop down and make one big mess. That land is now worth nothing as it is directly in the flood zone and can never be built on. This land went from a million-dollar property to nothing!  

He should gift the land to Gatineau so they can adjoin this  land to the adjacent Park. He would probably get a large tax credit for the donation of property, and then the city can clean it up, remove the dead tree and also the poison ivy, which is everywhere.

The owner won’t cut the tree down, and the city won't force it. The condo owners here cannot do anything, as the tree is not on their property.  Any solutions?

Peter A. Ferguson
Aylmer/Gatineau