The hooks on the electrical poles along Main Street in Vankleek Hill are empty now.
Champlain Township personnel were recently seen removing the hanging basket plants from the hooks. It seemed like there was still a lot of good weather left for the plants, but too much hot, dry weather was harming the flowers that are usually supposed to add some aesthetic appeal to the business section of town.
According to Champlain Township Communication and Community Development Officer Shanna Steals, the hanging baskets were removed because of ongoing extreme heat and dry conditions. Despite consistent watering and care, the plants were no longer able to withstand the weather and were visibly declining. Rather than leaving them in place in their declining condition, the township decided to remove them a few weeks earlier than usual.
Steals said the township is reviewing the challenges experienced with this year’s Main Street hanging plants in Vankleek Hill and will look at different plant varieties and timing to better withstand increasingly unpredictable summer conditions for next year’s season.
