LaSalle Mayor Ken Antaya is voicing concern over vegetation maintenance Hydro One plans to complete in the town.
Hydro One recently informed the town they would need conduct maintenance between Brunet Park and Todd Lane to ensure "reliability and safety" of the transmission lines.
The area where Hydro One plans to conduct tree maintenance in LaSalle. (Provided by Town of LaSalle)
But Mayor Ken Antaya is skeptical after discussions he had with a Hydro One employee last year.
"They told me they were clear cutting and they said not only are we clear cutting we're going to mulch everything that we're going to be cutting and burying it on site, so what they were doing is getting right down so that we can have a clear view of the hydro towers instead of our trees," said Antaya.
At Tuesday night's council meeting, Jake Zink with Hydro One assured council they would only be taking down trees that posed a danger.
"This work in April is strictly to target these danger trees that have to come out, they are a public safety concern," says Zink.
Antaya says they want to see a detailed plan that shows exactly how many trees they are cutting down and the danger they pose. He's instructed all town staff to keep a close eye on what Hydro One is doing in the town.
"Our staff has been instructed as they are driving by in their trucks and their cars, if you see anything happening there call," says Antaya. "I don't care if we have to chain someone to a bulldozer we're going to do it because that area is too important to us."
