Downtown trees uprooted, moved to new street
Court Square has already been the site of significant demolition as part of downtown construction, and more major changes are in the near future.
Plans are to move the downtown gazebo from its location on Court Square to the vacant downtown lot owned by the city, which is located next to Paul Holder Realty, with some officials saying that could happen this week. A century-old fountain is eventually expected to be placed near the gazebo’s current location.
Crews expect moving the gazebo will be no easy task.
“We’re still kicking around how, but we’re going to move it,” Public Works director Bill Brock said Friday as he was anticipating coordination of the feat with other construction crews this week. Eventual plans are to set the gazebo on an elevated base and use it as a makeshift band shell.
Working in advance of those plans, city employees set about the delicate task of removing two large “sweetheart” chestnut trees located south of the gazebo, which was an act that created quite its own spectacle.
The sweetheart chestnut trees were donated to the city by Boyd Brothers Nursery Co. in 1988, according to Parks and Recreation director Carlene Brown, who said she was present when the trees were planted.
City officials decided to move the trees to a city lot off Sharpe Street in an effort to save them and did so Friday. Almost a dozen trucks, trailers and other equipment comprised a convoy as the trees were moved from Court Square and down Chancery Street to their new location. Overhead wires at Court Square were dropped in order to be able to move the trees.
“These are special trees and that’s why they’re getting the attention they’re getting,” City Administrator Herb Llewellyn said.
Urban forester Nick Kuhn said the spiny seeds that come off such trees can be problematic in public pedestrian areas. He said Sharpe Street was chosen as the relocation site because there were some pecan trees already on that lot.
With regard to other trees downtown, a large maple located in front of the courthouse is planned to stay, as are trees west of the gazebo in the Court Square area. The trees located east of the gazebo in Court Square are also planned to stay, but Kuhn said those root systems may be disturbed by construction and could not predict their fates.
The fate of the downtown evergreen tree, which has been used as a Christmas tree for the past several years, remains undecided, Kuhn said, but he did say he is attempting to salvage an Eagle Scout project that was planted around the gazebo with plans to replant at the gazebo’s new site.
Kuhn also said he plans to meet with county leaders for guidance regarding the fate of the trees located nearest to the courthouse building, as that area is considered county property.