Published: May 02, 2008 06:51 pm            

Paradise paved, park to be reconstructed

By Debby Schamber

The Orange Leader



For some Orange residents, a city tourist attraction has paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

On Friday, several residents living near Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center expressed their anger about eight trees in the park adjacent to the Park Street education center being ripped out of the ground to make way for a parking lot. The parking lot will be constructed where the Thomen Community Center was formerly located.

Following a six-day celebration of Earth Week at Shangri La in April, residents said they feel the removal of the trees is just a “slap in the face.” Some even went so far as to say the sign in front of Shangri La, which reads “Be Kind to Your World,” needs to be taken down. A handful of residents have even placed their own sign at the park, which reads “Be Kind to your world - Save our trees.”

Michael Hoke, executive director of Shangri La, said he received a few angry phone calls himself Friday with regard to the trees. Hoke pointed out, however, the Stark Foundation gave about 3,500 trees to residents following Hurricane Rita in 2005. Additionally in February, the foundation sponsored an event which gave 3,000 trees to Orange County citizens.

Hoke added, “Twenty thousand trees have been planted in the city of Orange.”

Despite the foundations past donations, some Orange residents said they feel the trees in the park could have been saved.

“I think they are doing a great thing by opening Shangri La, but the trees were torn down unnecessarily,” said Chris Hudnall. “They could have built around them. I have seen other parking lots with trees in them.”

Sarah Cruse, another Orange resident, echoes Hudnall’s thoughts.

“The area is now butchered,” Cruse remarked.

Cruse said she was very upset and added, “there’s just no sense in cutting down the trees.”

Cruse said she has volunteered at Shangri La frequently, but when she was called on Friday to work, she said she just couldn’t go because of being so upset.

She added if more trees are cut down, she just may have to protest.

“I am going to hug that tree and if they try to cut it, they are going to have to cut me,” Cruse said.

Cruse has lived in her house across the street from the park since 1995 and the park is filled with fond memories of her grandchildren playing there, she said.

Shangri La officials said Friday they are heartbroken the trees had to be destroyed in the construction of the parking area. However, the entire horticulture department is dedicated to replacing the trees six-fold and making the area as green as possible, Hoke said.





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