Why are trees being cut down on a busy stretch of Park Avenue?
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The City of Rochester recently cut down about a dozen trees lining the popular restaurant and cafe area on Park Avenue between Berkeley and Vassar streets. Neighbors have noticed the change and are wondering why it’s happening.
“We walk down here quite a bit. So, it’s always nice, especially in the summer, with the trees in the shade and in the fall,” neighbor Eileen Shea said. “And you can see how the leaves change. But we showed up the other day and it was all taken down. So it’s definitely a shock.”
Shea has lived in the Park Avenue neighborhood for over five years.
“I don’t know, seeing trees around, especially in a busy city, brings it more alive. Gives it more character,” Shea said.
According to a statement from the city, the “tree roots have substantially heaved and shifted the sidewalk and curbs in this busy area, causing significant damage, accessibility issues, and potential tripping hazards.”
The trees being removed are part of a larger project to mill and repave old pavement along Park Avenue. While upset at the cut-downs, neighbors seem to understand.
“I do think it’s worth that they do it and it’s definitely going into what we pay for in tax money. So I think it’s a good thing but it’s definitely a negative with the trees being taken down. But there’s a positive to always a negative,” said Victoria Massaro, a neighbor.
“You know, if you need to renovate things, sometimes you need to cause some destruction before,” said Dave Burnet, another neighbor. “So obviously, it doesn’t look so great right now, but I’m, you know, I’ve got faith that they’ll, make it look nice. And the sidewalks really needed to be repaired. A lot of the trees were really lifting the sidewalks up, and it was just a matter of time when it really would have become a huge safety issue as opposed to a safety issue. It is now so.”
The city says they plan to plant new trees that will disturb the sidewalks less in next year’s planting season.
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