IT'S the beginning of the end for Toronto's iconic figs along The Boulevarde.
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Four of the trees were removed on Sunday.
The remaining five trees have been pruned and are set to be removed in the middle of next year.
The move was in response to public safety concerns after a barrel (a dominant branch) fell from one of the figs outside the Commonwealth Bank earlier in the week.
Council assistant manager for asset management Helen Plummer said the unexpected incident had brought forward a proposal made in the Toronto Streetscape Master Plan, adopted in November 2013, to remove and replace all nine figs from mid-2015.
The plan would also involve installing new footpaths, street furniture and gardens.
Ms Plummer said the council used an independent arborist to assess the trees in 2012.
"They identified the plants as likely to have bark inclusion, which rots away and weakens the tree, but it was decided then there was no immediate safety risk at the time," Ms Plummer said.
"It's difficult to assess the degree of bark inclusion because you can't see from the outside how extensive it is, but now this tree has failed, we have to manage the rest as risk."
Ms Plummer said during removal one tree revealed "significant and recent cracking through one of the barrels, which meant there were structural defects within a significant portion of that tree".
Toronto resident Herman Oosterman said he was sad to see the "magnificent" trees go.
One of the reasons he and his family moved to Toronto was the town's attractive streetscape.
"If this was to happen in a European city of similar size [to Toronto], there would be a civil war," Mr Oosterman said.
He said regular council monitoring of the trees might have identified the risk earlier and led to preventative action that could have saved the figs.
"Trees are like any other item - they need regular maintenance," he said.
President of Toronto's Chamber of Commerce, Gail Ryan, remembers when the trees were planted.
She said it would have been nice if the trees had been left untouched until after Christmas.
"It's a sad day for Toronto, but they had to go for the public's safety," Ms Ryan said.
As the figs have been removed ahead of schedule, Ms Ryan hopes council amends its Toronto Streetscape Master Plan timeline.
"Hopefully, council gets the new tree planting done as soon as possible and makes the place look nice again," she said.
The council said they would engage an external arborist to reassess the remaining trees and determine if any further action is required.