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Surrey council approves $1.5M contract for tree watering

This is for watering 20,000 trees at least once a week for up to 20 weeks
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Surrey council awarded a nearly $1.5 million contract for watering trees this year at its Monday meeting.

A corporate report from Laurie Cavan, Surrey's general manager of parks, recreation and culture, recommended a $1,445,000 contract be awarded to Horizon Landscape Contractors Inc. – with a spending limit set at $1,590,000 an option to extend the term for four more years after 2025 and subject to "satisfactory performance" – to water some 20,000 trees at least once a week for up to 20 weeks along residential, arterial and collector roads, in city parks and adjacent to civic buildings.

"Horizon has provided shade tree watering services to the City for over 10 years and their performance has been satisfactory," Cavan's report reads. She noted the City of Surrey manages more than 112,000 shade trees requiring a range of regular maintenance.

"Depending on the weather during any given year, street trees, park trees and trees around civic buildings require supplemental watering during the first six to eight years following planting," she explained. "The City's shade trees represent a significant green infrastructure investment. Well-managed trees beautify the City, provide habitat for insects and wildlife, mitigate storm water run-off, off-set carbon emissions and filter pollutants. Regular watering of young trees increases the service life of the trees and reduces tree mortality."

Last May council awarded a $484,500 seven-month contract to White Star Property Services for base maintenance services for about 22,000 street trees and 1,600 park trees. Cavan noted at that time that tree bases are installed around street and park trees to protect them from “mechanical damage” caused by mowers and line trimmers, and also help them retain moisture and suppress weeds.

Also, tree bases – including ornamental grates – are installed around trees that were planted in “hard landscape” areas like sidewalks and plazas.

“These bases are maintained regularly to manage risk issues related to trip hazards. Managed tree bases also improve the aesthetic appearance of trees in high profile locations such as arterial roads and public buildings,” Cavan explained.



About the Author: Tom Zytaruk

I write unvarnished opinion columns and unbiased news reports for the Surrey Now-Leader.
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