Chopped-down trees on Holly Street
Ordinarily there would be hell to pay if the city of Pasadena were to suddenly and apparently capriciously chop down 30 mature -- and huge -- shade trees.
It's a city of trees, after all. All them astronauts can see the green from space.
But in the case of the 15 carobs that lined the former YWCA side of Holly Street near Centennial Square, and the 15 that lined the former YM side as well, the city's Forestry Department says that they were diseased and had to go.
And, truthfully, there is in their absence a magnificent new view of City Hall, and Holly is filled with new light. And the Mediterannean carobs were that new no-no, non-natives.
To replace the carobs (and their stinky pods), the foresters are soon to plant that most groovily indigenous of all local trees, Engelmann oaks, an endangered species the northernmost habitat of which is Pasadena and which have been greatly depleted by development.
So, those are going to be spectacular. And right now, so is the open space.
Comments
The Engleman oaks will be planted by late spring '09 so they'll get plenty of natural rainwater in the first couple of months. Pasadena Beautiful Foundation is helping to fund the trees and coordinate the plan.
Posted by: Ann Erdman | November 12, 2008 11:25 AM
What would be really nice is to start cracking down on the drug activity that goes on in and around the area where the trees were taken down. Too many homeless people getting high and drunk starting first thing in the morning and lasting all day.
Posted by: Angel Bec | November 13, 2008 7:59 AM
Thanx for explaining about the trees - I was shocked to see them removed last week. What this really emphasizes, is the fact that the historic YWCA (by Julia Morgan) has been left to rot by its current owners. It's about time that the community rallies around this building, & the City seriously considers 'spot' eminent domain action (as was done successfully in Old Pasadena) and force the owners to improve or sell (and not at a super-inflated price). Julia Morgan must be turning in her grave!
Posted by: Mike Salazar | November 13, 2008 2:12 PM