Warrnambool City Council residents have a chance to voice their views on the proposed removal of two trees on Banyan Street.
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The council planned to cut down the Moreton Bay fig trees last month, however after a large amount of public backlash, it deferred the decision to seek further public consultation.
City infrastructure director Scott Cavanagh said Banyan Street was the primary conduit between the city and the sea.
The two heavily-pruned fig trees are in the Raglan Parade median at the intersection with Banyan Street.
“We’re required to prune these figs in order to meet laws governing powerline clearance and we are interested in whether the community would find it acceptable to remove these two trees, given their pruned appearance and the fact the tree roots have damaged the adjacent footpath,” Mr Cavanagh said.
“The removal of the trees would allow for the construction of a new footpath and would mean the canopy of the immediately adjacent fig trees would expand to fill the gap.
“However, the trees are otherwise healthy and if the community has a clear view that they should be retained – even in the pruned state – then council will take that on board.”
Feedback is also being sought on other tree planting in the street.
“We’re keen to hear from residents about the choice of street tree and whether there should be a single tree species between Raglan Parade and Merri Street or whether people want to see a different tree species for each block,” Mr Cavanagh said.
The council also wants feedback on old steel rail pedestrian barriers at the intersections of Banyan and Lava, and Banyan and Koroit streets – with the possibility that they could be removed.
“Alternative treatments could include low-growing garden beds or bollards and chains or ropes,” Mr Cavanagh said.
“The other piece of work we are considering is that council has been gifted an old surf lifesaving boat that we could install at the intersection of Raglan Parade and Banyan Street that could serve as a way-finding device directing visitors to our foreshore precinct.”
Residents wanting to have a say can go to www.yoursaywarrnambool.com.au or fill out a hard copy of a survey available at the Civic Centre, 25 Liebig Street, Warrnambool.