BEST “Disappointed” Over Ewing Street Trees

July 29, 2014

The Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce [BEST] has stated that they are “disappointed to hear that the Corporation of Hamilton [CoH] is moving ahead with its plan to remove mature trees and will attempt to transplant them twice, as part of a plan to widen the passageway on eastern Ewing Street in Hamilton.”

A spokesperson said, “The plan itself has aroused the ire of the residents and entrepreneurs who occupy Ewing Street. They have talked with the CoH and even gone so far as to conceive and draw up an alternative scheme that meets all the Corporations objectives while preserving the mature trees.

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“We are sympathetic with the Corporation’s stated wish to widen the carriageway to international standards although, we would argue, there is hardly an imperative to convert a local neighbourhood street to international standards of 16 foot lanes, a 32 foot carriageway.

“Further, the Corporation’s treatment of Princess Street, where they have actually used gateways to choke off that street’s width to 18 feet [56 percent of the international standard], flies in the face of their own logic and strongly suggests that this argument is one purely of convenience.”

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“The Corporation promises they will replace the trees once their work on the street is done. Removing these fifty year-old trees to another site, then moving them back may indeed be possible. However, the trauma of twice transplanting mature trees places them at high risk.

“Then too, neighbours are concerned that once the trees are gone, some reason will be proffered and the street will be left treeless. There is good reason for this thinking. Elliott Street once sported a tree-lined median strip. The trees and median were removed and never replaced. We would all feel more trusting if tree saplings had already been planted somewhere on Ewing Street.”

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“The absence of replacement trees anywhere along the entire length of Ewing Street does not instill confidence in their promises.

“Neighbours also fear their street is being groomed as a thoroughfare for industrial traffic that has been prohibited from approaching TCD via the steep Till’s Hill. Shunting tractor-trailers and other big trucks through their neighbourhood will not only increase the dangers but also disrupt community life on this relatively quiet neighbourhood street.”

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“BEST supports the retention of mature trees on Ewing Street and the boost they provide for environmental and property values. Trees at road-sides or medians help form a “green corridor” that would ideally link parks and other vegetated open spaces into a chain of greenery that would enhance Bermuda’s image.

“We have been advised that the desire for a wider pedestrian way and access by emergency vehicles on Ewing Street could be accommodated via a one-way traffic scheme that would retain the median, parking, the existing mature trees and increased shade for pedestrians.

“This would seem to be a win-win proposition. We would encourage the Corporation of Hamilton to adopt this concept or seek other creative ways that would avoid the cutting down of mature trees.”

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Comments (19)

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Articles that link to this one:

  1. Photos/Video: Objections Over Removal Of Trees | Bernews.com | August 5, 2014
  1. animallover says:

    So silly, they donlt know what they’re doing.

  2. Kim Smith says:

    It seems probable that the businesses and residents in this Ewing Street area are not being told everything about the Corporation’s plans. Otherwise, why would they (the Mayor and the Corporation) be so fixed on not working collectively with this neighbourhood on what will affect them the most?

  3. Truth is killin' me... says:

    There’s more to this tree removal plan than meets the eye. Corporation of Hamilton are not giving out the whole plan!

  4. Terry says:

    And the purpose of the widening is what.
    Graham does not even have an ounce.
    Quaint street. No major traffic.

    I give up.

    • Raymond Ray says:

      Rumor has it that the tractor-trailers can’t / aren’t permitted to go off of Court St.(Tills Hill) towards TCD and need to swing wide on Ewing St. therefore those trees are obstructing them from doing this…By removing the trees T.T.s can travel to TCD via Court St. and then left on Ewing St.and right in front of Dellwood School making it safer for them large trucks to get to TCD

  5. adam says:

    This is absurd, Ewing Street is now one of the most beautiful parts of Hamilton with its architecture and tree median. Now they want to make it just another street. The street should be built around the residents, not the traffic.

    • Terry says:

      Exactly Adam.
      Make the tractor trails use an alternate route.
      Bulls

      Court Street is their only route?

      No ponds and fish in front of City Hall.

      Hopefully no Outerbridges inside.

      Looser.

  6. somuchless says:

    After they finish the trees pave the street. It is horrible.

  7. Nicky Gurret says:

    I would like the Corporation of Hamilton to please reconsider their decision. The trees are unique and beautiful to the City of Hamilton as is the way they are framed in the centre of the street. They create a sense of place in the city. They are unique to the neighbourhood and create a uniqueness to the nieghbourhood. The new ideas of urbanism of a “slow city” should be embraced along with “greening of cities”. This centre row of trees does just that. It is a gift that should not be taken away.
    Changing the cities to accommodate vehicles such as trucks and cars is outdated and proven to create ugly barren cities with little sense of joy and place.

    Please reconsider before it is too late!

  8. i and i says:

    Fishtail palms, there are several species, anyone been to festival bay in Orland florida ,at bass pro shop mall……those fishtails,the root system doesnt spread it grows up…then it spreads out and canopies at the top…providing shade which is the point isn’t it? The thing I don’t like about this is the way it was given…and then taken back…..that just naturally rubs me the wrong way…I don’t like that at all…..

  9. Inquiring minds says:

    The noisiest voices are always right.
    First my information is that this project has been ongoing for two councils. There have been reported to have had four public meetings ( some townhall and some residents and businesses being presented ideas and plans.
    I know some of the persons with the pull here so I know that all the stops are being pulled out so that their point of view is the one that prevails. ( property owners and businesses) the trouble is when there are more than one point of view in Bermuda it makes no difference what decision is made the opposing group will claim they are not being listened to but in fact they normally fail to consider that their view is not necessarily the best one just because it is theirs. I want to know what the Johnny come lately KBB and BEST have inquired about and their basis for these “expert ” opinions. I don’t read any facts being put forward just the usual NIMBY comments from people who don’t live there. How about somebody contact the professional officers and gets timelines and facts before marching and spouting off to the media.

  10. SMH2 says:

    So sad…. How many, many years did it take for the trees to grow to such a beautiful size, and how many hours did it take for a few ignorant and cruel people to destroy this natural beauty? What will happen to the birds who used to live there? There are too many cars and trucks and exhaust fumes, too few trees and too little fresh air on the Island.

  11. Anon says:

    This project should not be allowed to go ahead. The only people who should decide the fate of those trees are the people who actually live there not some clueless paper pusher from City Hall. You honestly can’t make up this type of stupidity. There is NO reason that this action is justifiable in any sense. What next COH? The trees have to be removed because their diseased? Short sighted people ahould not be allowed to make long term decisions that affect our quality of life.

  12. Stuntman says:

    To inquiring minds – can you explain why the drawings at planning for the proposed Ewing Street works do not indicate where the transplanted trees are to be located? If CoH in good faith were intending to put the trees back then surely they would have decided where they were going – yes?

    Unless of course there is no intent to put reinstate these trees?

    You are obviously a proxy for the bureaucrats at City Hall so would you be so kind to pass on the query.

  13. Truth is killin' me... says:

    Corporation of Hamilton are DREAMERS!!

  14. i and i says:

    Directing container trucks toward a school and a cross walk ,on a corner with a round about and tight turnes,near a marsh with no real substrate in one direction………who is the rocket scientist who thought this up?

  15. Moonbeam says:

    ADVICE TO EWING STREET RESIDENTS : Don’t trust the Corporation of Hamilton under Mayor Outerbridge !