A dying cherry tree in the courtyard next to the library and Tidemark Theatre will be replaced as part of the city’s annual street tree maintenance program.
“The city has completed the pruning of the London plane trees downtown, and as part of our inspection of the trees, the Parks Department has confirmed it will remove the cherry tree in the courtyard later this week because it is starting to decay and rot, potentially becoming a hazard in the courtyard,” says Ross Milnthorp, the city’s general manager of parks, recreation and culture. “We know that people enjoy a spectacular tree in this location, and staff will plant a new tree in the fall, when it will have a long stretch of wet weather for establishing its roots.”
As part of its annual street tree maintenance program, the city pruned the London plane trees along the Shoppers Row and Pier Street sidewalks over three Sundays in March.
The trees were pollarded, with all branches cut back to control the size of the tree and limit the reach of the tree canopy while promoting a dense head of foliage and sturdier branches to withstand high winds.
The London planes are pruned this way approximately every three years, the last time in 2011. The trees were planted during the downtown revitalization work nearly 30 years ago. The pruning program began when tree limbs grew too long and heavy.