Councillor John McGregor, along with councillors John Walker and Allan Miller, were due to file a rescission motion after council voted to plant 12 trees along the centre of Ripon Street at December’s monthly meeting.

The environment committee recommended to plant the trees after old trees were removed because of the risks they posed. 

But Cr McGregor was concerned the trees would take up too much of the parking space around the Catholic Church.

He thought this could prove difficult for the elderly and frail members of the congregation. 

So he approached the environmental committee informing them he planned to put forward a rescission motion.

“A lot of people in the community didn’t want trees there, they wanted their parking, there are 300-500 people there of a weekend,” Cr McGregor said.

But at last week’s monthly council meeting, in a move touted as a happy ending for everyone, the councillors discussed with the operations department a design which would allow the trees to be planted without impinging on the parking space.

“I think it’s a good compromise for everyone,” director of operations Dirk Wymer said.

Cr McGregor agreed.

“On paper it looks real good,” he said. 

“It’s worked out well for everybody.”