Hazardous tree roots removed by public works department

Two trees were removed from the sidewalk outside of 442 Peace Portal Drive on October 22. The trees were Armstrong maples, which grow quickly and have sprawling root systems.

The removal of the trees upset some local residents, but Blaine public works director Ravyn Whitewolf said that the action was taken for safety reasons.

“That section of sidewalk was experiencing extraordinary root intrusion from those trees,” said Whitewolf. “We want to make sure it’s safe for the public to walk upon. We did actually have someone trip and fall there.”

Blaine’s public works department removed the affected sidewalk panels and the trees. City workers will be replanting a different species of trees at the site next year, and a contractor will be hired to replace the sidewalk.

Whitewolf said that her department hopes to eventually remove all of the Armstrong maple trees along Peace Portal Drive and replace them with a less intrusive tree species. Many of the current trees were planted in the 1990s, and root barriers installed then were not as strong.

The building at 442 Peace Portal Drive used to be home to Vista Pizza and, more recently, the Wild Bird Treasure Nest Boutique. Earlier this year, the boutique relocated to 674 Peace Portal Drive, and a bakery is expected to open at the site in the coming months.