By VANESSA CHIRCOP
RESIDENTS of Galvin St in Altona are relieved to finally have damaging and costly gum trees removed from their street.
Sophia Szostakowska said she was grateful that the council had replaced the trees, which were diseased, lifting up footpaths and touching power lines.
Ms Szostakowska, who has lived on Galvin St for 37 years, said the problem had been an ongoing one and there were still gum trees in surrounding streets causing similar problems.
“They’ve been replaced with dwarf apple trees,” she said.
“They look like gum trees but don’t grow the same.”
Ms Szostakowska would also like the gum trees on the Galvin St end of Civic Pde to be replaced.
The trees can be seen hanging over the road and houses, with much of the surrounding footpaths uneven and uplifted by roots.
“They’re not suitable for residential streets,” she said.
“They damage pipes and property.”
She said the trees had even caused damage to the foundation of one neighbour’s house.
“I don’t want ratepayers money wasted on continually repairing infrastructure.”
