After recent controversy to remove eight declining cherry blossom trees that lead to the entrance of the Pike Place Market, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has directed the city to replace the trees with even more trees.
The 40-year-old trees were scheduled for mass removal on Mar. 7, due to work on Seattle’s project connecting downtown to the waterfront.
A new pedestrian and bike path entrance with hybrid elms was set to replace the cherry trees, until the mayor’s announcement Friday.
“Cherry blossom trees are more than a symbol – they invoke heartfelt feelings and represent decades of history – both the good and the bad – as part of our City’s deep connection to Japan. My own understanding of this is rooted in the experiences of my Japanese American family, who were incarcerated at an internment camp at Minidoka, and their reverence for these trees and their magnificent bloom,” Harrell said.
Harrell announced the waterfront project will plant 24 new cherry blossom trees, along with a memorial plaque to highlight the significant impact of the trees at the Pike Place Market.
The announcement comes among Harrell’s recent Executive Order to preserve and plant thousands of trees citywide.
“As I announced earlier this week through a new Executive Order and a proposal for a strengthened tree ordinance, we are committed to planting more trees – this allows us to act on that priority,” Harrell said. “In listening to advocates of preserving existing trees, we weighed the trees’ declining health against a compelling vision of a new and safe corridor for the next 40 years and agreed on the importance of capturing their historical significance. The Pike Pine Streetscape Improvement project is a cornerstone in our efforts to rebuild downtown, and this commitment will ensure cherry blossom trees reach new generations of Seattleites for years to come.”
The eight original trees will be removed next week.
Sixteen additional cherry blossom trees will also be planted, but their location is still to be determined.
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