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Letter to the editor

Volunteers step in to save trees

The county said it was too expensive to maintain crape myrtles.

By CATHERINE E. SHOICHET, Times Staff Writer
Published January 25, 2008

RIVERVIEW - Several local businesses have chipped in to save trees on U.S. 301 from the county's chopping block.

A group from the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce planted the crape myrtle trees in the medians between Bloomingdale Avenue and Gibsonton Drive about 10 years ago.

County officials said maintaining the 121 trees cost about $14,500 a year - a price county commissioners decided was too high as they tightened their budget belt last year.

If no one stepped forward to maintain the trees, they said crews would pull them out.

That's when the chamber stepped in again, asking its members to volunteer to save the trees.

Serenity Meadows, Four Paws Veterinary Hospital and Total Tree and Lawn Care Inc. agreed last month to sponsor the medians.

Total Tree owner Trish Brandon said she was horrified officials were considering removing the trees.

"I just couldn't believe it," she said. "To me, that wasn't a solution."

Eventually, the sponsors' names will be in signs on the medians, said Kitty Cunningham, the chamber's executive director.

She declined to specify how much the companies are contributing, but said that Total Tree will maintain all the trees at a fraction of the cost.

"They're doing it for a lot less, and probably making it look a lot better," said Mike Wick, owner of Serenity Meadows and Riverview's honorary mayor.

Brandon said Total Tree also hopes to plant additional flowers in the medians next month. The trees, she said, play an important part in beautifying Riverview.

"It's really the only thing that runs down the middle. Other than that you've just got asphalt," she said. "We're going to make them look even better."

Catherine E. Shoichet can be reached at cshoichet@sptimes.com or 661-2454.

[Last modified January 24, 2008, 23:07:21]