Where have all the Beale Library trees gone?
| Thursday, Nov 18 2010 04:05 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Nov 18 2010 04:05 PM
Q: Why are all the trees missing and or dying around the Beale Library? On both the north and west side of the building, approximately 50 percent of the trees are either dead or have already died and been removed.
-- Adam Miller
A: The trees were originally planted in areas where they had no room to grow and when they started dying, the county took them out, said Kern County Parks and Recreation Department Director Bob Lerude.
The county was planning to re-landscape with smaller trees in pots when it learned the city of Bakersfield had major streetscape renovation plans for Q Street from Truxtun Avenue to 24th Street. It would look odd if the library landscaping wasn't done in coordination with the county renovations, officials said, so the two sides have been working out a deal in which the city will do the landscaping on the north and west sides of the library but the county will maintain it.
That streetscaping project is quite a big deal. The $5.3 million project will transform that section of Q Street much like was done to Chester Avenue. Going in will be trees, landscaped medians, and decorative lights and traffic signals in designs mirroring what was done along Mill Creek Linear Park, said Ralph Braboy, a civil engineer with the city of Bakersfield.
The city will also improve drainage and sanitary sewer systems there. The money's coming from voter-approved Proposition 1C.
Construction is estimated to start next April or May and take 15 months to complete.
