Around 50 people gathered in Shirley on Sunday evening to farewell a row of trees set to be removed from Emmett Street.

The community held a street party with waiata and kapa haka performances to celebrate the trees, some of which are more than 80 years old.

The Council is removing 22 trees in the area due to non-compliance with the New Zealand Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations and other safety concerns.

Earlier this year, residents were outraged after the Council failed to warn them about the planned removals, prompting staff to meet with locals concerned about the lack of consultation.

Bec Roper-Gee from the local Shirley Village group said while the removals marked a sad moment, the gathering was also a celebration of the neighbourhood.

“It’s a sad time, but it’s also come at the end of a really difficult period too. First and foremost, I think this is a celebration of our neighbourhood. This is a really vibrant community, and the trees are a big part of our character, but the people are probably the most important and enduring part. It’s cool to be able to gather.

“There are still lots of unanswered questions. The fate has been decided for 22 trees right now, but I would still love to push for a bigger conversation about what our streetscapes can be in the future — long-term, what would be community-building, environmentally sustainable, climate-resilient streetscapes for us. Those kinds of conversations aren’t on the table at the moment, and I’d like them to be.

“It’s really interesting — I think all of us who’ve been through this process are now looking at trees all over the city and thinking, those power lines are close. The assessment process has been proactive — they’ve looked at around 3,000 trees — and the ones that have to come down are in the minority.

“But as time goes on, and the trees get older, and the way they’ve been pruned becomes harder to sustain, this will be something more communities around the city face for sure.”

Emma McGurk, also from the Shirley Village group, said the situation still felt unresolved.

“I still feel like there should have been another way, and like there should have been other options. If we’d had more time, maybe we could have explored solutions like undergrounding the power lines and saving the trees.

“There are heaps of really cool ideas for how the wood could be reused. I love the idea of a nature play area in the park — something natural that kids can climb and enjoy. But I also think there should be a visual marker of some kind to represent the trees that were here. We’re losing 22 this time, but we’re going to keep losing more, and gradually the whole street will change.

“A sculpture at the start of the street would be a beautiful way to remember them. Part of the reason we moved to this street was because of the trees — they were part of what made it feel like home. It’s really sad.

“There are lots of people in Christchurch who love living under these big, beautiful trees. If you’re in a street with similar ones, find out what’s happening with them. Don’t wait until it’s too late — be proactive and try to save them before all the decisions are made.”

Innes Ward Community Board member Ali Jones said the evening brought people together.

“It was a lovely event, seeing the community come together – so many families, children. These 80-year-old trees will be sorely missed by most – I believe they start coming out in the next week, with more than 20 in total to go.

“1,000 trees are removed every year in Christchurch, a city that desperately needs to improve the amount of tree canopy we have.

“Christchurch City Council has no short, medium or long-term plan to manage our huge street trees, some of which are over 90 years old.

“If this doesn’t change, we will continue to lose these trees, resulting in huge canopy gaps. We must do better. These trees are the lungs of our neighbourhoods, of our communities,” Jones said.