DEAR EDITOR:

This past week, an unnecessary action was taken at the Recycling Center in Austintown. This recycling center is adjacent to the Austintown 9 / 11 Memorial Park on Raccoon Road. Last week, a huge 100-plus-year-old pin oak tree was cut down so that lights could be installed around the recycling center.

This tree was beautiful and provided shade and screening to the ugly bins “gracing” the recycling center. The reason given for cutting down this century-old tree to facilitate light installation was that it was necessary to prevent dumping at this site.

According to Austintown Trustee Jim Davis, there were three independent “consultants” that deemed the tree was dead and / or dying and “needed” to be removed. When I asked if any of those consultants were arborists, he responded that one was the park supervisor and the other two were individuals who worked for tree-removal companies.

Due to the increased dumping at this site, the Green Team management and Austintown trustees saw the only way to curb dumping is to totally expose the site and light it up 24 / 7 like Times Square. As this site is adjacent to the 9 / 11 Park, the absence of the tree creates a huge empty space and void. Now that space is truly ugly.

As a volunteer who has been single-handedly weeding the 9 / 11 Memorial Park for the past three years, I am outraged that this action was taken. Sadly, a 100-plus-year-old tree cannot be replaced. The action that was taken was unnecessary.

Why not install cameras and a few lights and save the tree? I would think the Green Teamwould have made this its first option.

JILL NEIDIG

Canfield