City says move necessary to combat crime
Oct 06, 2008 - 03:50 PM
By Jillian Follert
OSHAWA -- Residents living near Radio Park were baffled this week after watching City crews cut down more than a dozen large trees in the urban green space behind the Oshawa Centre.
"It's a beautiful park with beautiful old trees," said Grenfell Street resident Stan Price, who can see the park from his front porch. "I was there on the weekend with my grandson and I counted, they had cut down 15 trees. And these aren't dead trees we're talking about, these were big, beautiful maples."â?¨ Mr. Price said it makes no sense, especially because the City recently passed a new tree protection bylaw that levies hefty fines against those who cut down, climb, or otherwise damage trees on municipal property.
"But it's OK for the City to kill trees?" he asked.
City Parks Manager Bill Slute confirmed 20 mature trees were cut down late last week and Monday morning, saying the move was necessary to combat increasing levels of crime and vandalism in the park.
"It's an unfortunate circumstance," he said. "But there's a lot of negative activity going on and we had to do something about it." Drinking, drug use, vandalism and graffiti have been ongoing problems in Radio Park for years.
Last June, members of the Oshawa Bocce Club -- whose players use the park on a weekly basis -- appealed to Oshawa councillors for help. Photos submitted to politicians showed drug and gang related graffiti scrawled on picnic tables and grass littered with liquor bottles, shards of glass and condoms.
Mr. Slute said the City worked with Durham Regional Police and determined lack of visibility in the park was part of the problem.
He said the park was originally designed with berms -- small hills -- with trees planted on top, that create perfect spots for those up to no good, to hide.
"One of the suggestions from the police was to remove the berms and flatten out the area," Mr. Slute said. "And to do that, some of the trees had to be removed."
He stressed some of the affected trees were already in poor health because of overcrowding or vandalism, adding new trees will be planted elsewhere in the park to make up for the loss.
But not all residents are convinced trees need to be sacrificed, to achieve a safer park.
"What park doesn't have kids hanging around at night, it's no reason to take down trees," said Karen Wright, who lives nearby. "The police should just patrol more." Mr. Price agreed, saying park curfews or fines would be a more environmentally friendly approach.
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