The Lloydminster Cemetery is open to the public once again following damage from a storm. The cemetery was closed following a weekend storm which brought winds faster than 40 km/h and between 2-4 inches of rain.
The winds and the rain battered the Lloydminster area and caused damage to several trees. Blake Nielson manager of the city’s Parks and Green Spaces, says the damages posed a safety threat to those visiting the cemetery.
“We had a few trees that were leaning over the roads and stuff, and it was just easier to keep the public away while we cleaned up the safety hazard,” says Nielsen.
The trees in question were 60 to 80 feet tall spruce trees, which became uprooted after the soil became so wet. The root systems were compromised in softened soil by the heavy rains and the trees were blown over by heavy winds.
Nielsen says that some cemetery monuments were moved during the remediation, but should be back to normal now. The incident brings a focus on some of the trees in the cemetery and around the city, which may be nearing the end of their life.
“Because of the age, a lot of the trees out at the cemetery are nearing the end of their life cycle. So over the past couple of years, we have been systematically removing some of them and planting new trees.”
Nielsen affirms that reports of downed trees or branches have been submitted across the city, and says the city is prioritizing them to address them as soon as possible. Anyone who sees a broken branch or downed tree on city property can report it on the city’s website or by calling the parks department at the Operations Centre.