Seating area planned after ‘structural issues’ led to removal of tree at east side of Beaches Branch library
By MATTHEW STEPHENS
The front of the Beaches Branch library on Queen Street East is being redesigned into a seating area following the recent removal of a Norway maple tree that had been causing “structural issues”.
Local residents had recently expressed concerns to Beach Metro Community News regarding the tree’s removal and the plans for the area on the east side of the library’s entrance at 2161 Queen St. E.
“A few weeks ago, some workmen showed up, took the tree down and chipped the stump,” said a resident in an email to Beach Metro Community News earlier this month. “I was devastated, but since they’ve been taking down diseased elms around the neighbourhood over the past month, I assumed it might have been a diseased elm.”
However, according to Toronto Public Library media relations, an arborist report from November 2024 found that the existing Norway maple tree (not an elm tree) was found to have several structural issues, posing safety risks to the public.
“An independent arborist identified major structural issues – including open cracks, internal decay and signs of root and trunk instability – concluding the tree was a hazard to the public, nearby vehicles and the adjacent building. City of Toronto staff inspected the site and confirmed the findings before approving the removal,” said City of Toronto media relations in response to a question from Beach Metro Community News.
TPL’s media relations team said three red maple trees will be planted at the rear of the Beaches Branch building, and an Eastern Redbud tree will be planted in the front area, along with deciduous shrubs, perennials, and ornamental grasses
In addition to new vegetation, the front of the library will be redesigned with the installation of permeable unit pavers and a curved bench.
Beaches-East York Councillor Brad Bradford said the city takes tree protection “very seriously” and only issue permits for removal if a tree “is no longer healthy and safe, or if it meets one of the other tests under the tree protection bylaw.”
The Beaches Branch library has been subject to many renovations since it was first opened as a storefront on Queen Street East in 1914. By 1916, the branch was established in its own independent building as the result of a $50,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York to build three libraries in Toronto.
By 1979, the library was listed on Toronto Historical Board’s Inventory of Heritage Properties. That same year, the library saw its first big renovation, turning the original Queen Street entrance into a bay window, with a new entrance incorporated into a shed addition on the west side. The renovated branch reopened on Sept. 26, 1980.
On July 7, 2005, a one-ton cast bronze owl, designed by architect Phillip H. Carter and artisan Ludzer Vandermolen, was installed at the branch entrance. Earlier in 2005, the branch’s new west wing was officially opened.
“I look forward to the library’s efforts to continue to make the branch and the surrounding area a welcoming, green, and safe space for residents and families to enjoy,” said Bradford.
