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2 3 | Friday June 3 0 , 2 0 1 7 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | w w w .in s id e h a lto n .c o m Environment by Jane Muller Metroland West Media Major roads tend to be straight. This is not true of Bronte Road, north of QEW, which curves around a massive, 260-year-old white oak. The plan was for the expanded north-south thoroughfare' s route to go right through where the tree, that measures more than a metre in di ameter and boasts a massive crown of more than 25 metres across, still stands today. On June 21, 2 0 0 6 Halton Regional Coun cil voted in favour of widening Bronte Road around the tree if concerned citizens could raise $ 3 4 3 ,0 0 0 by Dec. 15, just six months away. The historic white oak was saved by a citizen cam paign led by the late Joyce Burnell of Oakville. It was W ard 4 Regional Councillor Allan El gar who questioned a consultant' s report that predicted the tree had only 10 per cent of its life remaining. He discovered the arborist report had actually given the tree a 9 0 per cent chance of surviving road construction around it and 100 years or more of life. The great white oak was recognized by the provincial government in l972 in an agreement between the previous property owner, George "Connected to your Community" Great W hite Oak, a t 2 6 0 , is a witness to Canada's history tory will live on by planting saplings grown from its acorns. The program was created by local en vironmental group, Oakvillegreen. The saplings were nurtured at Earthgen Native Tree Nursery for two years and reached heights of three to five feet before being offered for sale in September 2011 at $ 5 0 each. Not suited for a typical urban property, white oaks require significant growing space as they can grow to 100-feet tall with a canopy o f 1 5 to 2 4 metres (50 to 8 0 feet) wide. Oakvillegreen offered to plant trees in the comm unity on behalf of purchasers and some were given to Conservation Halton to help re forest targeted areas of the Glenorchy Conserva tion Area. Others were traded to communities in exchange for their local historic trees. A total of 4 4 0 saplings were planted to preserve the genes of the magnificent tree. In a comm unity named after the oak tree, which attracted early settlers with its massive oaks used to construct buildings and ships, few er than five that are older than 150 years survive. The oldest, between 4 0 0 and 5 00 years, can be found at Bronte Creek Provincial Park. Another is the tree drivers pass daily, diverting traffic and standing for the power of citizens to throw a curve into government plans. The white oak tree that stands on Bronte Road just north of the QEW. It is 26 0 years old and growing. | Metroland Media Atkins, and the Department of Transport, indi cating every precaution would be taken to guard the safety of the tree. More than 3 0 years later, its safety was guarded by the determination of a gal vanized group to put history ahead of progress. Proceeds from a concert by Canadian singersongwriter Sarah Harmer, a large donation by an anonymous supporter and contributions from thousands of others, raised $ 3 0 0 ,0 0 0 by the deadline. Three levels of government contrib uted the $ 4 3 ,0 0 0 required to fund the project. Oakville residents have ensured the tree' s his Ifyou'd like to advertise your place ofworship in this feature pleasecall JE N N IFE R GOULD 289-293-0683 PENTECOSTAL UNITED PRESBYTERIAN Bible Teaching & Worship Service, 12:30-2:30pm (SOUTH RIDGE ROOM) 1051 Glenashton Dr. Glenashton & Eighth Line FRID A Y Teaching & Youth Service 7-8:30pm Tel: 416-892-8123 Fax: 1-866-281-5983 Pastor: Elder M.J. Brissett IROQUOIS RIDGE COMMUNITY CENTRE SUNDAY GLEN ABBEY UNITED CHURCH R E V .T E D V A N C E BEEN AWAY FROM CHURCH FOR AWHILE? Give us a tro this; Sunday Celebrating Holy Comm union and Canad a 15(0 S u n d ay J u ly 2nd 10AM W O R S H IP S E R V IC E an d S U N D A Y S C H O O L Sunday July 2nd Summer Service: 9:30 am Email: mjbrisse@yahoo.ca JESUS IS LORD Message: "NEED A REST?" Matthew 11:25-30 Come hom e to Church the way you wished it could be! Friendly people, Great music, Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit! 1469 Nottinghill Gate, Oakville 905-825-5292 w w w .glenabbeyunitedchurch.com HAPPY CANADA DAY! Knox L a k e s h o re & D unn 9 0 5 .8 4 4 .3 4 7 2 Oa k v i l l e . KnoxOakville.com