Neighborhood Meeting Set On Tree Removal at Crest Lake Park

CLEARWATER, FL — The City of Clearwater will host a neighborhood meeting Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. to discuss the removal of more than 150 trees from Crest Lake Park, 201 S. Glenwood Ave.

The meeting will take place at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 407 S. Saturn Ave., Clearwater.

As part of the park's renovation, the city hired a certified arborist to survey the trees in the park. The arborist has identified more than 150 trees that need to be removed because they are either diseased, dead, in decline, are improper trees for the location or because they pose a threat to personal injury or property damage. An additional 15 trees are being removed to make room for planned structures.

There are currently more than 600 trees in the park.

The city intends to turn Crest Lake Park into one of the city's signature parks. The proposed $6.4 million improvements include a large and small picnic pavilion, a restroom building, a splash pad, playground, boardwalk, kayak launch and volleyball courts.

The improvements will also include upgrades to landscaping, lighting, parking and sidewalks.

The exact number of trees to be removed will be determined once the renovation plans are completed. Most of the trees scheduled for removal are laurel oaks that were planted throughout the area in the 1960s and '70s. This species of tree is no longer planted in the community due to its rapid and often uncontrollable growth, short life span, inability to compartmentalize decay after pruning and tendency toward severe decay, which can cause them to collapse. They often appear healthy but can be severely decayed inside.

The city plans to replace every tree removed with a new, healthy tree.