Saint John plans to help residents clean up after Arthur

Saint John is looking to help residents who had large trees and branches fall on their properties during post-tropical storm Arthur over the weekend.

Saint John lost many large public trees in its brush with post-tropical storm Arthur on Saturday.

But many of the trees that were damaged were on private land

"I don't think in most people's memory we've seen the kind of damage, Saint John Mayor Mel Norton said on Monday night.

Norton said city crews will be focusing over the next few days on the cleanup of public lands, but the city will release details soon on a plan to assist residents with downed trees on their properties.

"If you can get it to the curb in some sort of format for us, we're going to be able to come along and get that off the streets for you,"Norton said.

"So if you can get it to the curb, we can take it from there."

Norton said the initiative will involve diverting staff and equipment that would be used for other city activities, such things as maintaining parks and cutting grass.

He said the work should not cost the city additional money.

Saint John isnt the only city looking at how to clean up after Arthur.

Fredericton estimates it lost more than 2,000 trees during the powerful weekend storm.City crews are working with J.D. Irving Ltd.s logging trucks to assist with the cleanup.

Fredericton is also planning a special cleanup for the broken limbs and fallen trees in three weeks.

The city has set up two tree disposal sites in the city for residents who want to get rid of the debris immediately.

The sites are located at:

• The empty lot next to the car wash on Two Nations Crossing, near the Citys Parks &TreesDepot
• The municipal compost facility at the old landfill near the Vanier Industrial Park