PARADISE, Calif. -The town of Paradise has a new mayor and vice mayor. Action News Now sat down with Mayor Greg Bolin to go over Paradise's rebuilding and recovery.

New Documentary: Paradise residents interested in seeing the documentary All Its Name Implies, created by Paradise High School graduate and four-time Emmy winner Ev Durn can do so in Chico. Durn will host a premiere of his newest film at the El Rey Theater on Friday, Dec. 20. Watch the trailer, CLICK HERE.

Business update:Paradise Ridge has officially hit 200 businesses open. For a list of all open businesses, CLICK HERE.

New mayor and vice mayor:During the Council meeting on December 10th, Council voted to elect Greg Bolin as Mayor and Michael Zuccolillo as Vice Mayor. The town said they will serve a one year term.

New officers: The Town of Paradise hired two new police officers to the force. Welcome Officers Tatom and Wood to the Paradise Police Department!

Kids on the Ridge:The 4th Annual Kids on the Ridge Christmas Party is upon us. This Saturday, December 14th between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. the Paradise Veterans group wants to create a special day for the kids on the ridge. They have put together this magical day that will include lunch and Santa with Mrs. Claus giving out presents. There will be games and of course the bounce house to entertain the kids. This is a free event for the whole family.

File your claim:PG&E has extended its date to file claims to Dec. 31 at 5 p.m. There is not cost to submit a claim, an attorney is not required and there are only 11 questions that need to be answered. The claim process can be accessed at http://www.officialfireclaims.com or 1-888-908-0100.

Tree removal program: The Paradise Town Council and the Butte County Board of Supervisors passed ordinances requiring the removal of hazard trees damaged by the Camp Fire from private property that may fall into public roadways. Property owners may enter the Government Tree Program to have the trees removed by the State at no out-of-pocket cost. Enrollment in the Government Tree Program requires a Right-of Entry form. Property owners may also identify and remove hazard trees themselves but must submit an inspection form so an inspector may verify the removal of the hazard trees from the property. Property owners may also call the Tree ROE Center directly at 530-552-3030 or submit Tree ROEs by email at TreeROE@buttecounty.net. The Tree ROE is available for download online HERE. ROE forms may also be picked up at the Tree ROE Centers when they open.

Three Tree ROE Centers open Monday, October 28th at the following locations:Community Employment Center: 78 Table Mountain Boulevard, Oroville

Butte County Library, Paradise Branch Community Room: 5922 Clark Road, Paradise

Butte County Library, Chico Branch: 1108 Sherman Avenue, Chico

Paradise welcomes 2020 Board of Directors:Join the members of The Paradise Ridge Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, December 4th as they welcome the 2020 Board of Directors. The program includes Dinner, a Dessert Dash, and Awards Ceremony honoring contributions made by individuals and businesses in our community.

Nutcracker at PPAC:Northern California Ballet is proud to present the Christmas classic, The Nutcracker at PPAC Dec. 20th, 21st and 22nd. Matinee Saturday and Sunday at 2:15 p.m. and evening performances Friday and Saturday, 7:15 p.m. Reserved seating is $20, General is $15, Under 16 is $12. Find tickets available at NCB Paradise, 872-1719, NCB Oroville, 680-5308, Music Connection Chico, 898-0110, and Nic's in Paradise. For more information, CLICK HERE.

Paradise on Ice:The ice rink is now open weather permitting! The Paradise Ice Rink is an outdoor seasonal ice rink that will be open daily (weather permitting). Public Skate, Adult Skate, Lessons, Private Rentals, and Party rooms are all offered.

Regular Hours:

Sunday - Thursday: Noon to 8 p.m.

Friday - Noon to 8 p.m. with teen skate night at 9 - 11 p.m. (additional charge)

Saturday - Noon to 10 p.m. with skate lessons from 11 a.m. to noon. (additional charge)

Business's opening this week:A Cut Above: Dec. 5th, 2019 5:30-7 p.m.Located at 6848 Skyway Suite C Paradise.

Jeannies Grand Rebirth: December 7th, 2019 3-4:00 pm Located at 491 Pearson Rd Paradise.

Question:Does the town have a time frame when they will start fixing public roads in town?

Answer:The Town did a study of the condition of public roads before and after debris removal for the purpose of documenting the damage done by all the heavy trucks through the debris removal process. Now that we have that information, the Town will prioritize the road repairs that are needed, and we have applied for funding to make those repairs. We do not have a timeframe yet, as we have not yet received the funding for repairs. Once that funding is received, we will make a public announcement about when to expect road repairs in the Town of Paradise.

Question:Is the water safe?

Answer: Yes, the water in Paradise is safe. The source of our water (Paradise Lake), and the treatment plant were untouched by the fire. As a result, the water is clear and clean. There was some contamination in some of the distribution system (pipes), which caused testing done early on to show contamination. Paradise Irrigation District has tested and cleared 993 standing homes as of early December and has about 500 standing homes left to test. They expect to be completed with standing homes by March 2020. As for those who are rebuilding, when a building permit application is issued, the Town contacts PID to let them know we are working towards a new home. PID, in turn, begins their testing and clearance process to make sure that by the time the Town issues the Certificate of Occupancy, there is clean water available at the property.

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Paradise rebuilding and recovery: New mayor and vice mayor elected - Action News Now

ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) Three thousand people in Williamson County have signed a petition to try to stop the county from removing more than 100 trees.

The trees are along one-mile stretch of Hairy Man and Brush Creek Road. The county says the trees need to go to widen the road and improve a dangerous situation out there.

If you think of a Sunday stroll type of drive, thats definately what this road is, said Bradley Taylor.

Bradley Taylor lives in the neighborhood adjacent to Hairy Man Road. He says he takes pride in living so close to an iconic part of Round Rock.

Hairy Man Road is known for its old oak trees that provide a peaceful canopy, but also a narrow path that has seen nearly 140 crashes and 3 deaths since 2012.

Its a lot, Its a lot. What is a life worth, said Commissioner Terry Cook.

The proposal to remove 104 trees along Hairy Man Road has been in the works since 2015. Commissioner Terry Cook says, each tree has been measured precisely to make sure taking it down is necessary.

People go Oh we are taking the trees. Well, we wouldnt have to pay a dime of tax payer money if people would slow down, said Commissioner Cook.

The Hairy Man Road tree removal project is expected to widen the road by two feet. Other travelers of Hairy Man Road say the road project is not the way to address the danger.

We dont see nearly the amount of enforcement and safe driving on the road that we should, said Bradley Taylor.

Williamson County plans to put out a bid for the project in January, then decide on a timeline for tree removal. Thats not stopping a grassroots effort to save them.

They wont grow back in our lifetime, said Bradley Taylor. If we make these decisions, then theyre going to make a big impact on a lot of generations.

City leaders estimate the total cost of the project to be $4 million.

Read more:
Williamson Co. residents ban together to save more than 100 trees - KXAN.com

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas Between 2012 and 2014, Hairy Man Road which turns into Brushy Creek Road had 47 accidents on the road, according to data collected by Williamson County.

Only one resulted in a fatal crash, but others led to drivers or passengers getting injured, vehicles getting damaged, and/or trees getting damaged to the point of dying.

The county used that data and continued to collect more through 2019 to justify expanding the roadway to two feet on each side to create a shoulder with a rumble strip.

"You can add a rumble strip so if your car veered out of the lane, it hit that rumble and oh! you wake up. Youre conscious again and you pull back into your lane," County Commissioner Terry Cook said.

The public safety changes to this road are taking place within Cook's precinct. She added at the heart of this issue, it's up to drivers to be better.

The county would not have to spend one penny on this road except routine maintenance if drivers were responsible," Cook said. "This is not big government coming in to take out our trees.

However, a Facebook group argues this is not the answer.

"Save The Trees on Hairy Man Road" members said they were not given enough time to meet with county officials to discuss other solutions to the public safety issue. According to an abstract on the project from Cook, the county held two meetings on the project in 2015 and 2016 to address public concerns.

Is there any way to minimize the amount of trees that are going to be cut," Orieta Ender asked. "Is there any way we can review the plan again and see where we can fix the road safety?"

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Ender's neighborhood backs up to Brushy Creek and she said the plans took her by surprise despite living there for 11 years. She also created the Facebook group that, after three days, has more than 750 members. Another resident from a nearby neighborhood said there may be an easier and more cost-effective solution.

We havent seen any sort of enforcement campaign done by the sheriffs department on the road to help enforce some of that speeding issue thats where a lot of the safety concern comes from," Bradley Taylor said. I can count one to two times in the five years Ive lived here that Ive physically seen a sheriffs vehicle sitting between [Great Oaks Road] and [Sam Bass Road].

That area between Great Oaks Road and Sam Bass Road is what concerns neighbors the most.

With multiple signs warning of construction and winding road, both Ender and Taylor said some drivers speed through the area. The county cited the fatal 2014 crash in the abstract as reason to create the rumble strips at least to warn drivers if they drift off the roadway.

Cook noted the driver also had intoxicants in his system at the time of the crash.

I cannot make drivers safer," Cook said. "That is up to each of us as an individual to pay attention, follow the speed limit the speed limit is set at 35. Number one, this is scenic. Number two, this is not a boulevard. It is a county, small road for you to enjoy. And what will you gain, five seconds by going 55 instead of 35?"

Cook also emphasized due to meetings with people and public outcry, the number of trees proposed to be removed dropped by 60% from 250 to 104. Still, Ender wants to see that number continue to fall.

We understand this project has been in the works for years and because of public outrage has been postponed, so here we are again we want to prevent the cutting of the tree," Ender said.

Come February 2020, the county plans to issue the request for bid to see which contractors can do the job and take out the 104 trees. Cook said it's too late for public comment.

Were really past any more changes," Cook said. "Were 100% the plan is done and now were working on writing ... the request for bid.

A Change.org petition to save the trees had over 1,500 signatures as of Monday evening.

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Residents band together to stop removal of 104 trees, Williamson County says it's too late - KVUE.com

Populations of valley oak trees along Californias Central Coast are declining. Bill Tietje and his team are studying lone oak trees in vineyards like this one to understand their wildlife value and agricultural benefits to encourage growers to leave them on their property and possibly plant more.Photo by Bill Tietje

Theres something iconic about driving through Californias Central Coast and seeing giant oak trees scattered across the landscape. Throughout history, however, not all Californians have appreciated the majesty and value of these trees. During the first half of the 1900s, many oak trees were removed to make way for agriculture and urban development. This, together with poor regeneration, contributed to declining populations of some of Californias 20 native oak species, most notably the valley oak.

Bill Tietje has studied California oaks for more than 30 years as a University of California Cooperative Extension Natural Resource Specialist. Though oak tree removal has slowed, Tietje still sees a need to encourage growers to keep, and even to plant, new oaks on their properties. To do so, he and co-researchers needed to better understand the benefits of the trees in agricultural systems.

Many of the vineyards along Californias coast were developed during the 1990s. Some growers left the oaks on their properties, even isolated trees.

We wanted to understand more about the wildlife value of the trees that many of the grape growers left within their vineyards, Tietje said. Although growers can incur a cost from the trees, we felt that if we could demonstrate their environmental value as well as the benefits of the trees for growers the growers would have increased incentive to retain and maintain them.

To study the oaks, Tietje worked with Ted Weller, a Research Scientist at the U.S. Forest Services Pacific Southwest Research Station, and University of Washington graduate student Anne Polyakov. The research team used Google Earth to locate 14 vineyards in San Luis Obispo County with isolated trees at least 100 meters from vineyard edge, body of water, patch of trees, or road. Within each of the study vineyards, they also picked an open site, 100 meters from the tree site and surrounding factors.

We wanted to understand effects due to the tree, not any surrounding factor, Tietje said.

GOING BATTY

When it came to evaluating the impacts of the oak tree on wildlife, bats were a natural choice. While birds can damage or eat grapes, the bats, at least in the study area, eat only insects. Tietje was curious to see if the oaks drew them into the vineyards where they could potentially help the grower by reducing the numbers of insect pests. To determine bat activity and species, the study team set up microphones at the edge of the trees canopy and the open site within the vineyards.

Indeed, the number of bat calls was more than double at the trees than in the open areas of the vineyards, Tietje said. The results showed that a group of bat species called woodland-adapted bats, which typically would not be in a large treeless area such as a vineyard, were frequenting the trees within the vineyards. The trees were bringing woodland bats into the vineyard, thereby increasing the biodiversity of the vineyard area.

Vineyard tree sites and open sites within vineyards were equipped with identical bat echolocation recording systems. In addition to being placed 100 meters apart from each other, the sites also were located 100 meters from a vineyard road, irrigation reservoir, or building to lessen the chance of human influence.Photo by Bill Tietje

In addition to bringing bats into a vineyard, oaks store carbon and provide stepping stones that wildlife can use while moving across the agricultural landscape, such as from a feeding site to a roosting site.

In addition to their environmental benefits, Tietje emphasizes oak trees can be beneficial for growers as well. He is continuing to research what insects the bats are eating. If theyre drawn to vineyard pests, growers may need to use fewer chemical treatments on their grapes.

GROWER SEES VALUE

Jerry Reaugh is one of the grape growers that allowed access to his vineyard for the study. Though he wasnt experiencing many pest issues with his grapes, he sees the value of keeping an oak tree.

It adds beauty to the landscape and great ecological value without being cumbersome to growers, he said. Its a win-win.

Wine country visitors share Reaughs opinion of the oaks.

People find oaks across the rural landscape to be aesthetically pleasing, attracting tourists to the wine country, he said. Removal of trees being very controversial, keeping and planting oaks is also a political plus for growers. Oak trees, especially valley oaks, are icons in this area and highly desired.

Tietje is looking at finding ways to continue to increase the benefit of the trees in agricultural landscapes without sacrificing agriculture production or economics.

I encourage the growers to retain and maintain these trees and to plant oak trees, especially valley oaks, in suitable areas around the vineyard, he said. Planting even one tree a year can make a large contribution over the long term toward increasing their populations. Growers have water and agricultural knowledge and staff to help with planting and maintenance until trees get going. Its a natural fit. The bottom line: it can be a win-win for the environment and the grower.

Kathie Zipp is a regular contributor to American Fruit Grower and Western Fruit Grower magazines on a variety of subjects from crops to production. She is a freelance writer residing in Parma, OH. See all author stories here.

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What Oak Trees Mean to the Health of Vineyards - Growing Produce

d3sign/ Getty Images This story is part of Holiday Survival Guide 2019, featuring tips on the best ways to manage the holiday season.

The first Christmas tree my husband and I put in our new house was a disaster. We picked it up at a hardware store, and once we finally got it on top of the car and home, we couldn't get it to stand up straight, and our cats wouldn't quit drinking the tree water. Just before New Year's, we hauled the dehydrated twig onto the back porch. It stayed there for months because we were too lazy to drag it around for trash pickup. The rain somehow infuriatingly brought it back to life. We eventually hauled it off the porch to the driveway, where it's remained for the rest of the year.

Picking out the perfect tree, lugging it home, setting it up and decorating it can be fun, but it can also be a hassle -- and getting rid of a Christmas tree is equal parts pain in the butt and a little sad. Fortunately, these services take care of the dirty work by delivering a tree (sometimes decorated!) to your door, and picking it up when you're done.

And you thought Wayfair only dealt with home decor. Well, it could be argued that your Christmas tree is home decor for at least the month of December. Wayfair has a lot of different options for your holiday tree needs. Filter by size, shape, color, freshly cut or artificial, and the site will return dozens of trees. Wayfair offers traditional trees like Fraser andBalsam firs, smaller, potted decorative trees and more -- and will deliver them right to your door.

If you prefer artificial trees, you might check out Home Depot's selection. If you're not planning to venture out to one of its locations, you can order one to your specifications online. Shop smaller trees under 6 feet, or the perfect tree for your towering ceiling at over 9 feet. Home Depot has classic trees, decorated ones, potted trees and more. The store also sells trees already strung with lights (hooray, no tangles!). You can also shop for more realistic styles in artificial trees, tree stands, skirts and storage. If you're a Christmas tree purist, Home Depot also has real trees for delivery.

If you march to the beat of your own drum, you might be looking for something a little different this holiday season. Treetopia offers a selection of multicolored and patterned artificial trees in a number of different sizes and shapes. If you're not feeling quite that festive, the site does have green artificial, yet realistic, trees. Treetopia also offers tree stands, wreaths, garlands, ways to store your tree and more. The artificial trees last for about five years, according to the site, and have a two-year warranty.

ProFlowers, where you may have ordered a floral arrangement or two for past special occasions, also carries seasonal mini Christmas trees and other holiday decorations. While it doesn't have full-size trees like the other sites, ProFlowers does carry small trees that would look nice on a fireplace mantle or the dining room table. Maybe your home isn't quite equipped for the 9-foot fir of your dreams, or you just don't want the hassle. You can also order wreaths, gift cookie tins and same-day flower deliveries.

You can search for local Christmas tree removal and trash services to see what is available in your area. But here are two other resources to help you out.

When it comes time to get rid of your Christmas tree, the options start pretty close to home. Trees can actually be recycled -- not to be used next December, but for other purposes. Depending on your location, you can opt for curbside pickup from your usual recycling service, contact mulching programs or see if there are nonprofit pickup options like the Boy Scouts. To see what's offered in your area, you can Google [your state or town] + Christmas tree recycling.

In some cases, you can put the Christmas tree to use in your own backyard as a bird feeder or mulch, or replant it in your yard. Your tree can also help the community as a soil erosion barrier, a fish feeder if sunk into a pond or as paths for hiking trails.

So much holiday shopping is completed by way of Amazon. The e-commerce giant can also help you wrap up the holiday season with Christmas tree disposal bags for cheap. The pine needles, in general, are one of the more irritating parts of getting a tree out of your home. You're stabbed, scratched and the little buggers wind up all over the floor. The bags from Amazon can make it easier to move the tree out of your house with minimal mess, whether you plan to leave it for trash collection or take it to a recycling center.

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6 Christmas tree delivery (and removal) services that do the work for you - CNET

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND A swath of hazardous trees in Bainbridge Islands Waterfront Park will need to be cut down or pruned in the coming months, according to an analysis by city staff.

Of the 76 trees evaluated in the city park just off Eagle Harbor, city arborist Nick Snyder determined 74 needed some kind of work done.

There are 20 trees out there that need some immediate attention and about 32 that we will be getting to sometime next year, city Public Works Director Chris Wierzbicki reported to City Council members last week.

A large fallen limb lies on the ground among the tree trunks as a person walks a dog along the path at Bainbridge Island's Waterfront Park on Friday. An arborist has determined that 20 trees are high priority hazards and 32 are medium priority hazards, all of which will require removal or significant pruning in the next few months.(Photo: MEEGAN M. REID / KITSAP SUN)

Of those 52 trees, 15 will be removed, and others will be pruned or have branches removed for safety reasons, according to the city. Two other low-risk trees, an invasive English holly tree and a dead Pacific madrone, are also slated to be removed.

There does seem to be a lot of trees down there and I know some of them are quite large and quite prominent, but they are dead and being that a lot of them are in pretty high-use areas, I think its important to address them to some degree, Snyder said. A lot of the dead trees where possible well leave as much behind as habitat snags and logs and stuff will be left on-site where appropriate, but in some of these areas, its just not appropriate to leave a bunch of snags in an open area. In some cases, we are calling for full removal.

Of the 76 trees examined in the park, 41 are dead and 11 more are in poor condition, according to Snyders analysis.

The way I approached it was kind of doing the least that could be done while attaining some measure of public safety, Snyder said. Obviously, its a shame to take down some of these larger madrone trees that have now died, but ultimately they are going to start shedding parts and its something we should address I think.

Snyder recommended the city replant 30 trees and 18 large shrubs in the park.

Read or Share this story: https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/local/communities/bainbridge-islander/2019/12/09/hazardous-trees-removed-bainbridges-waterfront-park/4355383002/

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Hazardous trees to be removed in Bainbridge's Waterfront Park - Kitsap Sun

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Two dozen trees have started to be removed along a stretch of Arthur Kill Road to facilitate a street widening project, despite eight of the trees being planted within the past few years.

In 2015, the city announced a $15 million project to expand Arthur Kill Road, between Richmond Avenue and Clarke Avenue. Despite public knowledge of the project, the city Parks Department elected to plant eight new trees in the area, knowing they would need to be removed once the street widening began.

Parks planted eight trees within the DOT project zone along Arthur Kill Road after the official announcement to expand the street in 2015. We acknowledge that the planting of these trees was ill-timed, said Parks spokesperson Charisse Hill.

During an assessment of the project area in March, the Parks Department identified a total of two dozen trees that were deemed viable for transplanting or warranting removal, none of which would require any restitution or replacement fees.

Eight of the 24 trees within the project zone were deemed viable for transplanting, six of which have already been moved, and two of which are scheduled for transplant this season, according to NYC Parks.

The other 16 trees, which were not viable for transplant, will be subject to condition-based removals.

All other trees located within the project zone not planted by NYC Parks will be assessed as part of the standard design process, Hill added.

Though construction of the project isnt scheduled until summer 2021, residents have already noticed crews starting to remove the trees, leading some to wonder why the eight new trees were planted in the first place if they were to be removed for the road widening so shortly after.

I was so upset because they just planted these trees about a year and a half ago and they were thriving, said resident Diane Cappella. I wake up that morning [Nov. 26] and I see all these guys pulling up the trees."

I yelled out, Why are you taking my tree away? I was so upset," recalled Cappella. Part of my frustration is the poor planning. They just waste our money.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The project will increase the amount of vehicle travel lanes and provide shared use paths for bicyclists and pedestrians throughout much of the road, while also installing medians to separate oncoming traffic. Utility planting strips will also be installed along much of the project area.

Due to the winding nature of the 1.5-mile stretch, the roadway will be redesigned in eight segments, with each receiving slightly different treatments based off existing conditions and available space.

The main issues spurring the widening are roadway congestion, resulting in delays associated with volume and left-hand turns, roadway flooding, due to low-lying intersections and existing storm sewers, aging cast iron water mains and sub-par pedestrian accommodations, due to non-ADA compliance.

The DDC expects construction on the project to begin in the summer of 2021. However, because the project is still in the design phase, the agency is unsure how long construction will last.

Click here for an in-depth look at the planned redesign for each of the eight roadway segments.

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New trees on Arthur Kill Rd. removed for street widening - SILive.com

Just Junk is giving back to the community by offering to pick up discarded Christmas trees within Sault Ste. Marie city limits - at no charge - during the first weekend of January.

The trees will then be delivered to the Clean North tree depot at the Cambrian Mall, where they will be turned to mulch in an effort to divert them from the landfill.

We just want to help out, and it falls into our wheelhouse of what we do, says local Just Junk owner Jason Biggar. The tree depot in Cambrian Mall has always been really popular in Sault Ste. Marie.

Biggar hopes the free Christmas tree pickup service is well received by the community in its first year.

Usually In April Im driving around and charging people to pick it up, he laughed.

Once the online form has been submitted, Just Junk will contact people directly in order to book a time and date.

The junk removal company is asking people to have their Christmas trees outside in front of their homes prior to the scheduled pickup time.

Just Junk will be hitting the streets to collectthe trees Jan. 4-5.

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Just Junk to offer free Christmas tree removal in the Sault - SooToday.com

This year Parks Canada completed several infrastructure projects in Glacier and Mt. Revelstoke National Parks.

The infrastructure projects were funded by a $122 million Government of Canada investment, over the last five years, with some projects continuing in 2020.

These projects include $95 million for avalanche mitigation and Trans Canada Highway improvements.

READ MORE: Worlds most extensive avalanche detection system launched on Rogers Pass

The highway improvements included:

Projects in the Rogers Pass area had an estimated cost of $20 million, including:

In September, 470 tonnes of rock were placed around the Illecillewaet Stone Arch Culvert to reinforce its concrete footings and protect the historic 115-year-old birdge against future erosion. The project included fish passage considerations. This project cost an estimated $280,000.

READ MORE: PHOTOS: Highway 1 improvements restoring fish habitat in Glacier National Park

Hiking trail improvements such as erosion control, upgraded signing and repairs to structures cost an estimated $600,000.

Projects that will continue in 2020 include the campground at Mt. Revelstoke National Park. Snowforest Campground construction is estimated to cost, upon completion an estimated $6 million.

READ MORE: Opening delayed for new campground at Mt. Revelstoke National Park

Hazard tree removal is also ongoing. Due to major spruce beetle infestation, many old-growth spruce trees in Mt. Sir Donald Campground and other day use areas needed to be removed for public safety. The estimated cost for this project is $600,000.

Restoration of the former Glacier Park Lodge site will also continue in the new year.

Sampling and monitoring of sub-surface contamination will be ongoing throughout the Rogers Pass summit area for the foreseeable future to ensure the extent of contaminated soil and groundwater is well understood and any potential risk to human health or the environment can be mitigated, said a news release from Parks Canada.

READ MORE: Parks Canada moving ahead with demolition of Rogers Pass summit buildings

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Parks Canada on the way to completing $122 million in infrastructure projects - Revelstoke Review

By Nicola Caul Shelley, Synergy Design & Construction

Theres nothing like the holidays and a house full of guests to make you re-evaluate the space in your home.

And nothing brings more festive cheer than one of your teenagers having to give up their room and double up with their younger sibling so Grandma and Grandpa have a place to sleep. If you are dreaming of a separate guest bedroom, bathroom or just a place for the family to hang out during the holidays, then read on.

One of the most frequently neglected spaces in a home is the basement. The beauty of a basement (especially one that has a guest bedroom) is that it provides separation of space (and therefore privacy) for your family and your guests. But, all too often, basements feel dark, unwelcoming and become a dumping ground for everything you no longer need but just cant bear to get rid of just yet (yes, Im talking about that drum kit you bought 10 years ago to relive your college heydays thats now just catching dust)

Nows the time to do something about it. With the New Year fast approaching, get your Marie Kondo on and start the clear out. Tackle it a little at a time: all too often it becomes too overwhelming to think about doing it all at once, so set small goals and start with one drawer, one cabinet, one closet and KEEP GOING! Schedule a pick up through Green Drop and theyll come straight to your front door to pick everything up. No excuse now!

Basements also dont have to be dark or feel cold. You dont have to undertake a large scale basement remodel if you have the right footprint already in place. Lighten up the color scheme and switch out the flooring so it becomes a more welcoming space. Dark wood will make a basement feel even darker, so think about white or neutral cabinets and paint colors to keep it feeling less, well, like a basement! Adding recessed light is another way to get a lot of bang for your buck and completely change the feeling of your basement.

If you have an unfinished basement, its a waste of square footage if all you are using it for is storage. Basements easily add value to your home when remodeled. Unfinished basements are like a blank canvas with lots of potential and, with the right creativity and vision, they can be turned into beautiful but functional spaces.

It might be hard to envision how an empty space can become a multi-room, multi-use level of your home, and thats where the professionals come in. Any reputable design-build firm in the area like Synergy should be able to provide you with design options for your basement remodel and what will work in your space.

This months featured project is a basement remodel right here in Reston. We transformed the unfinished and under-used basement of this lovely home to provide the family of five with family-friendly spaces to enjoy time together as well as creating a private guest bedroom and bathroom when out-of-town visitors come to stay. The finishing touch? A built-in office with room for two when working from home or for the kids to use as homework/crafting space.

Looking for more inspiration? See some of our other Before & After transformations or give us a call. Were always happy to chat about your remodeling needs.

Happy Holidays from the Synergy Team!

Originally posted here:
Reno of the Month: A Beautiful Basement IS Within Reach! - Reston Now