OUTDOOR Forum at canaaninstitute.org

[Mike_L]

Hi,

I am just back from downtown Ithaca having walked through the block of Aurora Street closest to the Commons where several restaurants are located. There are signs on every single tree on both sides of the street saying that they are scheduled to be removed. (No date appeared.) I think the signs are pretty new.



I think many of us thought it was a pretty good idea when the city announced plans to widen the sidewalk on that block to allow more outdoor dining. However, if the trees are gone, the outdoor dining idea becomes much less attractive. Plus trees provide shade, cooling, and all the rest. I don’t think I need to spell out all the good things that go with trees. The plan might be to remove the trees and then plant new ones which are better situated, but who wants to wait all those years for new trees to mature, especially when it might be totally unnecessary.



I have just sent an e-mail to Mayor Peterson and to all members of Common Council urging them to ask the planners to try to modify the plans to keep the mature trees already on this block. I urge you also to write or call these people and/or any others you think might be influential in modifying this project to accommodate the trees. Please also tell your friends who might care about this.



A pleasant summer to all,

Linda Byard



PS I don’t think many people realize that we also just lost an entire block of trees on Seneca Street between Tioga and Aurora to the bus shelter even though the bus shelter doesn’t seem to be taking up an entire block.

email addresses http://ithaca.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_LIST&SEC=%7B472F75C9-54AC-42C9-ACE4-016834ABB71C%7D

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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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