An open letter from Hillcrester Filbert Vigil
“I live at Richmond & Pennsylvania and there is a 100+ year old tree on the corner slated for removal to accomodate a new wheelchair ramp! I am searching for some help in saving the tree. The corner where the ramp will be placed leads down the Richmond Street hill where the sidewalk ends. This is a waste of money for the side of the street that is not handicap friendly and which will also destroy this beautiful tree. Please stop by to see what I am talking about. There must be someone in Hillcrest who cares as much as I do about such a great loss.
Here’s a photo I took yesterday afternoon from my balcony on the Richmond side of our property. It is marked with a large X which I assume means REMOVE! They also marked the sidewalks to be cut, but marked SAVE around the names and dates of the cement contractors. Some of these sidewalks are marked 1914. I know my mom’s house is from 1918, so I assume this tree was here before the sidewalks. There is a fire hydrant near the tree, but it has been there forever, so I assume the tree roots have not affected it. I don’t know if it’s possible to find someone in a wheelchair to come out and look at that side of the street (we are). They would be the best judge as to the effectiveness of having a ramp on that side of the street. As anyone familiar with this street knows, there are NO sidewalks down Richmond from Pennsylvania to Myrtle. It is a very unfriendly street to pedestrians, and of course anyone in a wheelchair. My parents bought this property in 1965, and another home which we still own on Richmond & Essex. We also lived on Robinson & Eigth avenues at one time in my life.
I was born at Mercy Hospital in 1958 and attended Florence (Filbert now works there) and Birney elementaries. As I look at the tree I am reminded of the Joni Mitchell song about paving paradise and putting up a parking lot! I’m sure you remember the song, too. Taking all the trees and putting them in a tree museum. In all my years I have never been a ‘tree hugger’ or involved in any type of activism, but this is such a beautiful old tree, and a home to many birds and squirrels. A new sidewalk is being installed on the corner of Robinson & Tenth avenues, and the old trees are being saved. So I know there must be options. I’d like to know what the community thinks about it.”
• This past Tuesday evening the Hillcrest Town Council voted unanimously to oppose this tree being cut down until the issue can be fully discussed with the city. Todd Gloria’s office was then asked to block the tree from being removed until the neighborhood’s concerns can be addressed.
