

The Canadian victory at Vimy Ridge, won almost a century ago on the battlefields of France during the First World War, is at the centre of a new fight that's heading to city hall later this week.

It's over a grove of oak trees that have become locally famous because of their pedigree: They were grown from seeds brought home to his Scarborough farm by a soldier who gathered them on Vimy Ridge.

A group of Scarborough history buffs wants the city to designate that grove a historic site. The problem is, the trees are on property that's now owned by the new — and expanding — Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church, which is dead set against the designation.

A historic site designation can hinder the development of a property.

"We don't want anything to restrict our growth, but at the same time we want to protect the trees," said Richard Leung, one of the church deacons.

The Toronto Preservation Board is scheduled to hear on Thursday from the Scarborough Community Preservation Panel, which will ask the board to fast-track its application to have the trees designated a historic site, so a plaque can be in place in time for next summer's centennial celebrations of the famous battle.

No objections?

"Over time, all the oak trees at Vimy Ridge were destroyed, and all that remained were the seeds sent home by one Scarborough soldier," wrote Rick Schofield, chair of the Scarborough panel.

He said that as far as he knows, the board has heard no objections to his plan, and "if the preservation board has heard no objections, then there's no problem."

But Leung says he has objected to the designation plan. He said the church sent a letter to the local city Coun. Jim Karygiannis, several months ago, when the idea was first raised.

Leung said the letter explained why the church is against a historic designation. And he said he's angry that no one from the Toronto Preservation Board notified the church about Thursday's meeting.

"We have not been alerted. We have not been contacted," he said Friday. "We were not aware of this 'til last night, which is totally inappropriate. I think this is really bad."

Church delegation to attend Thursday meeting

Leung said his church will send a delegation to the meeting Thursday to voice their objections.

He said a historic designation "is a very lengthy process and a very costly process" and could hinder development of the entire property, not just the oak grove. Schofield maintained that only the grove would be subject to designation, but at city hall Friday, no one was available to clarify which side's view is accurate.

"Our church is in a growing state," he said. "We don't want anything ... to restrict our growth and expansion," Leung said.

Oak saplings growing from acorns that fell from Scarborough's Vimy oaks. They'll be flown to France next year and planted on Vimy Ridge, during centennial celebrations of the Canadian victory there in the First World War. (Patricia Sinclair/Vimy Oak Legacy)

However, Leung also said his church appreciates the historic importance of the Vimy oaks and is committed to protecting them. He said teams of arborists from Sanford College and the University of Toronto are scheduled to examine the trees next month and recommend the best ways to preserve them. He said the church has also looked for guidance from the Ontario Ministry of Natural resources and Forestry.

Acorns from the Vimy oaks, as well as shoots, have been collected over the past couple of years by the Vimy Oaks Legacy. They were handed to nurseries, which have now produced young oaks. The saplings will be flown to France next year, and planted on Vimy Ridge, as part of the centennial celebrations marking the battle.