Tree pruning near hydro lines begins in January
Public open house scheduled for residents to learn more
Oakville, December 14, 2015 – for immediate release
Starting in the new year, the Town of Oakville will be pruning trees
near hydro lines in scheduled neighbourhoods on behalf of Oakville
Hydro. The work is expected to be completed by spring. Trees are
pruned to ensure safe clearance around hydro lines and to minimize
safety hazards and power outages while maintaining the health and
structure of the trees. A public open house will take place on January
6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural
Centre for residents to learn more about the process.
“Regular pruning around hydro lines makes trees structurally more
resilient to extreme weather events such as ice storms,” said John
McNeil, manager, Forestry Services. “During the 2013 ice storm, for
example, trees in the hydro line clearing program sustained
significantly less damage than trees not in the program.”
There are approximately 18,000 municipal and privately owned trees in
the town’s hydro line clearing program. Trees in the program are
pruned on a three-year cycle in each of the three zones covering
Oakville Hydro’s service area in compliance with the Electrical Safety
Authority’s (ESA) industry standard of providing a minimum three-metre
(10-foot) clearance around main hydro lines. In rare instances, trees
growing too close to the hydro line may need to be removed if the
clearance standard cannot be achieved using acceptable pruning
practices.
In some instances, the town must prune privately owned trees if they
have grown too close to the hydro line. When hydro lines are located
in rear yards, Oakville Hydro has an easement through the property
which allows the arborist to access the tree.
At the open house, residents will have the opportunity to speak with
representatives from the town’s Forestry section and Oakville Hydro.
For more information, including a hydro line clearing zone map visit
oakvillehydro.com.
If you have any accessibility needs, please contact ServiceOakville
one week before the open house at 905-845-6601 or
serviceoakville@oakville.ca or by filling out the accessible online
feedback form at oakville.ca.
-30-
For more information:
Jill MacInnes
Communications Advisor
Town of Oakville
905-845-6601, ext. 3096
Jill MacInnes
Communications Advisor
Strategy Policy & Communications
Town of Oakville | 905-845-6601, ext.3096 | f: 905-338-4259 | http://www.oakville.ca
Vision: To be the most livable town in Canada
Please consider the environment before printing this email.
http://www.oakville.ca/privacy.html
