‘Problem’ Trees Identified in Broad Street Park

By Chris Frost
Eagle Times News Editor
CLAREMONT, NH — The City Council received an update on the Broad Street Park Landscape Plan during its Wednesday, Sept. 27, meeting.

Parks and Facilities Superintendent Tim Hernon updated the council and presented the councilors a plan completed about Broad Street Park in 2012 that wasn’t funded and called it a good diagram to identify diseased and dying trees.

He said tree 1 in the diagram has power lines running through it with some dead limbs. Tree two is dying from either an ice storm or disease from the top down and trees three and four have the same issue.

“They have seen better days,” Hernon said. “We’ve trimmed some of the stuff that we could, and we think they are OK to stay as they are. If we need to have it removed, that’s something we’ll need to get funded.”

He explained how the issue with tree 4 was the result of a 2008-2009 auto accident in the American Legion parking lot.

Mayor Dale Girard asked about the timeline for the trees, and Hernon thinks they’ll last a couple more years. He said the trees would cost $2,500-$3,000 to remove, including the stump.

“Primarily, removal is the expensive part,” Hernon said.

Councilor Jonathan Stone asked if the Department of Public Works would remove the trees or if the city needs to hire a third-party contractor.

“Most likely, it will have to be contracted out,” Hernon said. “The one small tree, number 4, the Parks Department can take care of it with the cooperation of DPW.”

There will be certain guidelines that have to be followed, too.

“The one thing to consider when we make changes to the trees on Broad Street and under power lines in the city is there’s a guideline from the power company about what to plant near the power lines,” Hernon said. “There is a whole list of species that are appropriate for this area, and that’s something we have to look at. It would drastically change the symmetry at Broad Street Park.”

City Manager Yoshi Manale said people have been talking about the trees at Broad Street Park, and the city is on the issue.

“When the time comes that some of them may have to be removed, I know they are a very prominent part of that park,” he said. “Don’t be surprised if that does happen.”