Some High River residents are growing concerned over the health of the area surrounding Emerson Lake.

The Emerson Lake Residents Group says five trees have already died and have been removed while another five won't be around much longer.

They say not only is it difficult for non-native trees to grow in High River's soil but the recent decision to stop watering them is not helping matters.

Member of the group, Liz Bouillet, says the Town says it's a cost saving measure, but she's not buying it.

"I'd like to know how much it cost them to dig out the old trees, put in new trees, and then have a water truck come to sprinkle them for just two years with no guarantee of their health beyond that, what is the Town really saving?"

Bouillet wonders exactly what her tax dollars are paying for if not things like this.

"I've been paying taxes for 30 years and my tax statement shows that a certain percentage goes towards parks and then all of a sudden all that is shut off. So, I'd like to see how much it really cost them to have it looking like the place that we bought into."

Bouillet is one of the residents with lake-front property and says they decided on living there because of Emerson Lake and what it was marketed as.

Bouillet says she has a problem with how the Town defines Emerson Lake.

"Now the Town is calling it a storm pond, but it's not. It's a lake."

Bouillet presented her concerns to Town Council at their regular meeting Monday, September 24.

She says she'd like the Town to do a cost-analysis and come up with a solution.

 

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