Seattle takes duplicity to new heights. It has always been my understanding that all of the trees on the Northwest corner of Cal Anderson Park would be unmolested. Bit by bit, the Parks Department is removing the plantings and the landscaping in that corner. Three trees are marked for removal. I suspect it will only be a matter of time and some “unfortunate incident” until they remove the Chinese Scholar Tree and the commemorative stone and plaque.
In early 2010, work will begin on the Capitol Hill Station excavation contract. A portion of the project construction wall and subsequent station box excavation will be in the northwest corner of Cal Anderson Park. Before work begins, Sound Transit’s contractor must remove three trees that are located along the edge of the station box excavation on Nagle Place. The Chinese Scholar Tree, located in the northwest corner of the park, is a Seattle Heritage Tree and will remain and be protected during all Capitol Hill station construction work.
Over the next several weeks, the Seattle Parks Department will prepare the northwest corner of the park for Sound Transit work activities by removing existing landscaping for transplant and capping irrigation to the area. Sound Transit has installed tree removal notification signs on the three trees to be removed, along with more information about Sound Transit’s planned work in the area.
In 2014-15, when major construction near Cal Anderson Park is complete, Sound Transit will restore all landscaping in the corner of the park, including planting three replacement trees.
For more information:
Contact Rhonda Dixon at 206-370-5569 or [email protected]
These trees are wonderful and the park has very mature trees left to begin with. I am all for light rail (necessary and long delayed) but the destruction of a significant chunk of ecology and culture is that neighborhood it does not require. Perhaps I would feel differently if a glen of sorts had been created elsewhere in the park (minor immature plantings are there, yes) but to chop em down–similarly to the Plane Tree Urban Massacre that occurred in Pioneer Square a few years ago–is illustrative of the short sightedness of our DPD and Parks Department. A severe pruning of those who makes the decisions at that level might be in order.
Sound Transit has the money to replace with very large and expensive re placments any trees that are removed … keep watching this process.
Because of the north lid part and the south playing field, Cal Park can never be a forest… every tree counts.
I love trees and hate to see them cut down, but this has been public knowledge throughout this whole multi-year process. What makes you think Seattle just can’t wait to kill the Chinese scholar tree? Dennis, your paranoia is reaching new levels and is just not constructive. They need to cut down those three trees for construction, and they are going to replace them when they are done. I live 2 blocks from the park and use it all the time, but this just doesn’t seem like a big deal to me. Am I alone here?