The mature tree at the corner of Humbolt, Government and Wharf street has been cut down.
A crew set up at the downtown Victoria corner on the morning of Monday, January 28th, and, using a chainsaw, the 30 year old birch tree was quickly cut down.
The city had to remove the tree in order to move forward with plans to establish a bike lane, create a scramble crosswalk, and work on the sewage line at that intersection..
A petition to save the tree was created by the Trees Matter Network, and although it's received over 1,000 signatures, the tree still came down.
Bystanders walking by the intersection were displeased to see the tree come down, and although most people support bike lanes, they don't believe the tree needed to be removed in order to build one.
The city says that two oak saplings will be planted in an adjacent area to make up for the loss of the mature tree.