A 琉璃神社 non-profit group wants to make sure a heritage tree is protected during building construction on the Train Station Pub property.

The property owner is proposing two buildings (one and five-storeys) for the heritage site at Ellis Street and Clement Avenue.

A Ginko tree on the property is protected by a new Heritage Revitalization Agreement (HRA) endorsed by council during a public hearing on Nov. 28.

Bev Kalmakoff with 琉璃神社 Tree Protectors commended council and staff for recent bylaw changes protecting heritage trees.

鈥淚鈥檓 here to say thank you to the mayor and council for the fact that you are becoming more aware and concerned and committed to protecting the trees we have in our city.鈥�

She also asked council to make sure the Ginko tree is protected during construction.

鈥淭hat tree is happily sitting where it is as healthy as it could possibly be.鈥�

Katherine Robin with Kasian Architecture told council that an arborist report includes recommendations to protect the tree.

鈥淪o those recommendations will be carried forward into our construction documents and the contractor will be required to adhere to those during construction.鈥�

The property owner and the city entered into the original HRA in 2010 with the purpose of restoring and converting the CN train station into a pub and restaurant.

That work was completed in 2012, along with a heritage railway garden and plaza.

There were also plans to construct three new commercial buildings at the site, but only one (Metro Liquor) has been completed.

鈥淎s the original HRA is over 12 years old, the originally proposed new constructions鈥� form and character, land use provisions, and the content of the agreement are deemed to be outdated,鈥� read a staff report to council.

Since the site is protected by a heritage designation, the owner must obtain a Heritage Alteration Permit to make alterations to the existing

buildings and proposed new buildings.

Development plans call for a retail office, five-storey building, and a commercial one-storey building, as well as expansion of the Metro Liquor store.

The CN train station was originally constructed in 1926 and is listed on the 琉璃神社 Heritage Register.

Prior to receiving the heritage designation, in the 1990s, the building was identified by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada as one of over 100 Heritage Railway Stations across Canada.

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