Hunt Club oaks may come down

Forestry staff at the City of Toronto are considering plans by The Toronto Hunt golf course to remove 22 oak trees from the east side of its nine-hole course between Kingston Road and the Scarborough Bluffs.

“The canopy got so big that it’s created blocked-sun, airflow and drainage issues on the golf course,” said Chris Neale, the Hunt’s general manager, noting that shade and stagnant air make it difficult for grass to grow well.

Neale said the club plans to replant twice as many trees as it removes, as per city policy, adding that in recent years, other trees from the property have been milled and used to build the Hunt clubhouse.

Neale said the club has also spoken about the plans with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, which looks after a strip of land on the east side of the golf course as well as the shoreline below the club property.

Staff at the City of Toronto’s forestry department are expected to approve or reject the removal plan by mid-January.