Town to clear some trees from park

As part of the Hope Town Square park renovations, the town plans to remove three evergreen trees and one diseased poplar.

The Town Council agreed at last week's meeting to remove the three Norway Spruce trees from the park to make way for the new handicapped-accessible trail configuration.The consensus of the council was that the 30-40 foot tall trees provide little shade for the park, don't fit in with the overall look of the park and are an obstruction of sight lines in the park. 

David Clouse, utility superintendent for the town, said that the center tree definitely must be removed to make way for the trail. Another on the west side stands too close to a neighboring oak tree and is starting to grow into it. Of the three, Clouse said the one closest to the bandstand is the only one he would like to consider keeping.

The council considered donating the trees to anyone who would want to preserve them, however the concern about the size of the root ball and the difficulty in filling that large of a hole, precluded that option. There was some talk of keeping the one closest to the bandstand, but ultimately the council agreed to remove them all.

Susan Thayer-Fye, head of Main Street of Hope, said that she was told the trees were donated to the town by Heritage of Hope when Don Dillman was executive director of the group. 

"Somebody said they hate to see a tree taken down," Thayer-Fye said. "I don't know if we could move those trees... if somebody would want to go to the expense of moving them themselves, I don't know."

Thayer-Fye said that she is in conversations with the city of Columbus to consider taking the most shapely of the three evergreen trees as this year's Christmas tree at Columbus City Hall. City officials are expected to come to town to assess the tree soon, she said. 

If the town can work out a deal for the city to take the tree, it would benefit the community because it would show collaboration with other governmental organizations -- a critical part of grant applications. And the city would pay to remove the tree, another benefit to the town.

Councilman Clyde Compton said that the evergreens produce little shade and when they are removed he would like to see them replaced with something shade-producing. He said that people have contacted him, offering to donate trees to the park in memory of a loved one. 

Councilman Nellie Meek suggested that the town wait to do any replacements, until the work is completed on the park.

In other business before the Town Council:

• Heard an update from Tony Akles with Strand Associates on the town street repaving project. He said that the recent grant approval by the state would allow the town to catch up on repaving its major streets including the rest of Washington Street. The next round of work will start next year. Streets to be repaved include all of Brookside Drive, and portions of Cross, Robbins, High, Locust, Maple and and Walnut Streets. 
• Town Marshal Matt Tallent said that trick-or-treat hours will be from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31st.