Prescott Street Update
During the week I have been trying to understand the Town’s thinking on the cutting down of the beautiful row of trees on Prescott Street. I support the home owners’ in this issue as those trees were important to energy conservation in their houses by providing a foil to the southern exposure and adding value to their property just by their being there.
Today I had the chance to give the situation a closer look and became even more baffled. At this location we have a unique situation with Beacon Street on one side of a park and Prescott Street on the other. Both are two way streets. It seems that the Town has decided to widen Prescott Street to provide a parking lane. So, the trees were cut to provide a parking space in front of the residences. Who needs it? When the residents have guests they can park in their ample yards and drives. Does the park need parking? Fine, cut a few into the park edge. Put parking where there are no trees. It was really an easy solution.
Is this portion of our town really gaining by cutting of trees for these “engineering improvements”? I think not. See http://www.friendsoftrees.org/tree_resources/facts.php to get a perspective on what we have lost so that the town can provide a few on-street parking spaces, the least efficient form of parking.
The Town has a Communities in Bloom initiative and committee with mandates including urban forestry. It struck out on this issue by not supporting the residents of Prescott Street.
Well Dan, I read this article and I will let you know what I learned about the removal of these trees. I knew nothing about this until I saw the Vanguard article,the trees were long gone by then. The next day I took a walk over to Prescott St. and found a number of workmen and a large curbing machine. These men were from other areas of the province and I asked them about their curbing process. They explained how it was done and the machine was one of only two in the province. And to shorten this, they said the trees were cut so they could use this curbing machine as it was it could not be used.
You will be hard pressed to find anyone other than a postman walk by on these new sidewalks on any given day.
I believe the Town officials were well aware that these trees did not need to be cut and a little good old fashioned labour would have left the trees and a new side walk.
regards Rod Hemeon