This beautiful cottonwood tree is the last standing of the large old trees on Messager Street in north Saint-Boniface, Pointe-Hebert, the oldest francophone Metis settlement in western Canada. In the last 5 years, most of this old established neighbourhood was re-developed with new housing. Unfortunately, this meant that all the trees came down on those lots to build the houses (as more of the neighbourhood will be developed yet more trees will come down). That was a very sad day for us, who had the privilege to live beside a forest of trees for a decade. Between 4ft and 6ft in diameter, this split-trunk is a healthy beauty, the only one we were able to save from the devastation sometime between 2008 and 2017 (and will continue until the entire area is re-developed over the next 20-30 yrs) because it was on our property. We get complaints sometimes about the tree - folks claiming it is messy, causing a crack in their foundation (a false claim I have confirmed with a professional arborist), and some have even called it dangerous and unstable. Yes cottonwoods can be messy - all homeowners must do maintenance - and it's a small price to pay for enjoying the tree's beauty, not to mention food and homes for animals, the shade it gives lowering a/c hydro bills, and the extension it gives to the life of roof shingles. I don't understand why someone would move to a long established neighbourhood with big trees if they wanted no trees. It is baffling. My husband and I saved this tree from certain destruction and now we get asked each year to cut it down from some of our new neighbours. It is the last example of these trees on Rue Messager and we would like to see it obtain protection. It sits majestically at the north end of the neighbourhood. In the south end of the neighbourhood, on Rue Hebert is an even larger sister cottonwood my friend Paul Lussier who owns the property would like to nominate as well. Flanking Pointe-Hebert on the West and East ends are more giant cottonwoods - in all four directions (east end is in Whittier Park and west end there are a few on private property). We joke sometimes that it snows all year long in Pointe-Hebert because of all of the cotton they release. We need to protect these trees for as long as they stand. The Perreault family owned our property for over three generations. Joe Perreault sold us the lot in 1998. I have completed the form and taken photos that I will send. Thank you for your consideration.

This beautiful cottonwood tree is the last standing of the large old trees on Messager Street in north Saint-Boniface, Pointe-Hebert, the oldest francophone Metis settlement in western Canada. In the last 5 years, most of this old established neighbourhood was re-developed with new housing. Unfortunately, this meant that all the trees came down on those lots to build the houses (as more of the neighbourhood will be developed yet more trees will come down). That was a very sad day for us, who had the privilege to live beside a forest of trees for a decade. Between 4ft and 6ft in diameter, this split-trunk is a healthy beauty, the only one we were able to save from the devastation sometime between 2008 and 2017 (and will continue until the entire area is re-developed over the next 20-30 yrs) because it was on our property. We get complaints sometimes about the tree - folks claiming it is messy, causing a crack in their foundation (a false claim I have confirmed with a professional arborist), and some have even called it dangerous and unstable. Yes cottonwoods can be messy - all homeowners must do maintenance - and it's a small price to pay for enjoying the tree's beauty, not to mention food and homes for animals, the shade it gives lowering a/c hydro bills, and the extension it gives to the life of roof shingles. I don't understand why someone would move to a long established neighbourhood with big trees if they wanted no trees. It is baffling. My husband and I saved this tree from certain destruction and now we get asked each year to cut it down from some of our new neighbours. It is the last example of these trees on Rue Messager and we would like to see it obtain protection. It sits majestically at the north end of the neighbourhood. In the south end of the neighbourhood, on Rue Hebert is an even larger sister cottonwood my friend Paul Lussier who owns the property would like to nominate as well. Flanking Pointe-Hebert on the West and East ends are more giant cottonwoods - in all four directions (east end is in Whittier Park and west end there are a few on private property). We joke sometimes that it snows all year long in Pointe-Hebert because of all of the cotton they release. We need to protect these trees for as long as they stand. The Perreault family owned our property for over three generations. Joe Perreault sold us the lot in 1998. I have completed the form and taken photos that I will send. Thank you for your consideration.