Guest Post on Xeriscaping

The following is from Laura and Mani who suggested that Xeriscaping would be an excellent option for the mounds and landscaping design. They offer the following information:

Xeriscaping Techniques

• Xeriscaping to conserve water and reduce maintenance
• No need to use fertilizers or pesticides
• Use of mulch to improve soil and eliminate need for mowing grass in certain areas (mulch protects plant roots from heat, cold, and drought, improves the soil and controls weeds)
• No plastic liners as these restrict the flow of water into the soil.
• Use drought-tolerant plants

Examples of drought-tolerant plants:
Trees: Russian olive, maple, Pine, smokebush, ginkgo, oak, and linden are very drought tolerant once established
Shrubs: Sandcherry, Lilac, Potentilla, Barberry, Quince, Spirea, Mock orange, Caragana, Juniper, Yew, Pine, Spruce, Fragrant Sumac, Siberian Pea shrub, Rockspray Cotoneaster, Red or Black Chokeberry, Flowering Quince, Northern Bayberry, Butterfly-bush, Spirea
Low growing perennials: Artemesia, Spurge, Heuchera (Coral bells), Creeping phlox, Lamb's ears, Dianthus, Bergenia and Lady's Mantle.
Tall perennials: Aster, Bee balm, Baptisia, Coneflower, Yarrow, Verbascum, Russian sage and Helianthus.

More info on xeriscaping:
http://www.landscapeontario.com/c?c=1123
and from City of Toronto:
http://www.toronto.ca/compost/xeriscap.htm

Landscape Designer Hired

The City has selected a landscape designer to help assist in the development of the final look and feel of the land around the new road. (By the way, the working name for the road appears to be Courtalds Dr.) We have been invited to meet with the designer on Tuesday, September 22nd to give him our ideas. I will report back following the meeting. If you have any comments, please hit the comments button below to the right to post.

Updates and Documents

New documents are now available for viewing.  Please click on the links below:


Update Letter #3

Survey Analysis and Noise Observations Presentation


Feel free to leave comments by clicking on link below this posting.

Berm Options

On Friday, August 28, the construction crew started building the berm according to the current plan.  We are told that this is only to "store soil until a final decision on the berm design has been reached".  However, the crew has done an excellent job of showing how the proposed berm will look.

Here is the completed berm in profile:

This berm is 5 feet high and roughly 15 to 20 feet wide.

This is how the berm looks when viewed from the property line - you can see how close it comes and leaves no opportunity for passive use of the land.

This is a view from a backyard into the berm - nice huh?  Imagine the run off from this berm into the back yard?  Furthermore, since the main living space is on the second floor, this berm does not create privacy at higher elevations.

As an alternative, here is the border of trees and shrubs behind 742, 744, 746, 748 Glengarry.

This demonstrates how we can create privacy and allow passive use of the space.

Here is a photo of the same trees from where the sidewalk will be.

This demonstrates that with creative use of trees and shrubs we can accommodate the needs of the neighbourhood, public use of the sidewalk and maintain passive use of the space.  With cut-ins spaced every 500 feet or so, we can also ensure access to the rear.  This alternative also alleviates run-off and drainage and water management is enhanced.

Feel free to leave your comments.

Wednesday August 26th

Updates for today.  An e-mail account has been created, it is glengarryblvd@gmail.com   Feel free to send comments or questions to the e-mail account.

Upcoming posts will include:

• extracts and commentary on the acoustic consultants report
• comments on the berm alternatives
• updates on communications from the City of Cornwall Engineering Department.
• with luck: photos and a copy of the detailed map

A letter to neighbours will be finalized today and distributed.  I will be following up with face to face conversations with neighbours over the next few days.  

My name is Francis Loughheed and I live on Glengarry Blvd. This blog has been established as a forum for discussion on issues affecting Glengarry Blvd. in Cornwall, Ontario Canada. In particular, the construction of the arterial road on the former Cortaulds Right of Way behind our homes. This forum will post comments, photos and other items of interest to this discussion.

The first item of business is the proposed berm that will end approximately four (4) feet from our property line, destroying the green space we have enjoyed for so long. Please feel free to post your comments.