Downtown evergreen a tree worth keeping
According to current Main Street revitalization plans, the familiar downtown evergreen often referred to as the community’s Christmas tree is scheduled to be chopped down.
The plan to remove the tree has apparently been in the works since the early stages of the Main Street project, but the proposal had slipped under the radar of most observers. It was not until a petition circulated through town this week that the idea of cutting down the tree made its way to the fore. And it’s an idea that has been greeted with immediate resistance.
As most of us are well aware, downtown is immersed in a massive, multi-million dollar project expected to breathe new life into Main Street. Roads have been closed and heavy machinery has been digging up downtown streets for months.
It’s a project with far-reaching implications for Main Street merchants and all of Warren County. A vibrant downtown, so the thinking goes, can stimulate the economy of an entire community.
That said, it would be hard to justify keeping the tree if it truly inhibited renovation plans. If there is absolutely no other option but to level the tree in the name of progress, then removing it may be unavoidable. But that hardly seems like it would be the case.
Based on the signatures at the end of just one letter to the editor in today’s edition, dozens of people are interested in keeping the tree in place. Many others who didn’t get a chance to sign the letter have also expressed their desire to leave the tree standing.
If the overwhelming attitude is to keep the tree in place, it would seem appropriate for city leaders to at least try and accommodate that wish. Perhaps the best option is to proceed with Main Street plans as scheduled and see if the tree presents a problem. If construction can take place without incident, there’s no reason to cut the tree just for the sake of firewood.
Local residents have enjoyed the tree for an estimated 20 years. It’s a familiar downtown landmark. It’s been a focal point for the annual Christmas in the Park. When the holidays arrive, the tree is a sign of the Christmas season with lights and ornaments.
Sure, there are far greater problems to address than keeping an evergreen tree on Main Street. And chopping down the tree won’t be the end of the world as we know it.
But at the same time, the tree is a nice touch to our downtown area. If residents of this community want the tree to stay, city leaders should try to accommodate that wish, regardless of what designers at EG&G think is aesthetically appropriate. It’s our town and we will be the ones living here long after employees from an out-of-town design firm have gone home.