Editor:
Re: “Chamber revives one-way Cowrie idea,” June 12.
The Sechelt and District Chamber of Commerce has proposed reviving the idea of a one-way Cowrie Street. There are some interesting suggestions; however, one of the recommendations is “removing trees and replacing them with “plants in large pots.” This seems a strange idea considering the benefits of trees.
Trees are visually appealing, add seasonal interest, enhance and soften the design of the streetscape (all that concrete and asphalt!), reduce urban heat islands, provide coveted shade during parades and other events, attract birdlife, and are one of the most cost-effective ways of drawing carbon dioxide from the air, as well as pulling pollutants (i.e., sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter) from the air.
Plants, even “in large pots,” cannot compete. And we certainly cannot hang Christmas lights on them. Please, leave the trees.
T. Smurthwaite, Halfmoon Bay
