City comitted to ensuring that cherry trees are part of Spencer Smith Park for dozens of decades

By Gazette Staff

July 9th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

Each spring, the blossoms draw thousands of people to the site.

The Spencer Smith Park cherry tree pathway renewal project is currently in the tender and award process. Once complete, the project will include a new accessible pedestrian pathway extension, bordered by newly planted cherry trees, ensuring they continue to be part of the parks landscape for decades to come.

Over the past several years, the City’s forestry team has worked to maintain the health of the park’s cherry trees through selective pruning and removal of dead or severely declining trees. Despite pruning efforts, many of the remaining trees are nearing the end of their natural lifespan.

The City’s phased renewal plan allows new cherry trees to be planted before the existing trees need to be removed, helping preserve the park’s well-loved, sentimental cherry tree display.

While the existing cherry trees are in decline, they continue to be monitored and can still be enjoyed by visitors this year and in the years leading up to the 2031 renewal.

To preserve the presence of cherry trees in Spencer Smith Park, the City has planned a phased removal and replanting strategy in coordination with pathway upgrades at Spencer Smith Park later this year:

Summer 2026

• Project tender and award process underway

Fall 2026

• Construction begins on the extension of the existing pathway with a new four-metre-wide concrete path.
• The removal of nine invasive trees including Tree of Heaven, Mulberry and Norway Maple.

Spring 2027

• Crews will plant 18 new cherry trees along the new concrete pathway. Work is scheduled for spring to protect tree health and reduce disruption to summer events.

2031

• Removal and replacement of the remaining aging cherry trees that are in decline
• Reconstruction of the existing path with a new 4-metre-wide concrete path

By 2031, the new trees planted in fall 2026 will be well established, ensuring the cherry blossoms continue to thrive year after year in the park.

The cherry trees at Spencer Smith Park were gifted to Burlington by its twin city, Itabashi, Japan. This twinning agreement was officially signed on May 12, 1989, which corresponds to when the Sakura trees were originally donated and planted to form the famous blossom trail.