[Editor’s Note: Culver City’s poetess laureate, a resident of Motor Avenue, is eager for the city’s promised tree-planting and refurbishing to begin.]
Motor Avenue is looking forward to having its surface paved
For many years the asphalt looked like it had been engraved
And the potholes deepened with each passing vehicle
The fact it’s on the maintenance list is something of a miracle!
So thank you, Culver City, and neighbor Odille Hansen, too
She got the ball rolling while the rest of us continued to stew
From the markings on the street for working with the sewer lines
It looks like lining the sewers will come first, and that is just fine.
Sewers will be lined and streets repaved, but a problem still remains
Lining sewers may stop ficus tree roots that mess up our city drains
But the roots cause the sidewalks to buckle and citizens to fall
So we need replacement trees right now, a few at a time – not all
Back in 2002, when the Street Tree Master Plan was adopted
We were told that many problem trees had been identified
Over thirteen hundred invasive ficus trees were on the list
Have any been removed or is that something I missed?
We do need management of our Forest that’s Urban
And we do need a Tree Succession Plan
And it’s true the STMP needs updating
But we wonder how long we’ll be waiting
Since the new plan by Artecho will not be seen
For review by the community until 2015
It looks like it will include no items for action
And be only a forest management plan
How about adding some action to the plan?
First, get rid of the worst trees you can
Begin by removing the ficus one by one
Make walking on our sidewalks less dangerous – more fun
Will we wait more years and increase our walking fears
Of tripping and falling on knees and rears?
For pedestrians and disabled citizens to be safer
Action is needed now…not years and years later
Dr. Hoult may be contacted at HOULTight@aol.com
