Fraim to unveil initiative to beautify city today

Posted to: Community News Environment Local Government News Norfolk
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By Lia Russell
The Virginian-Pilot
© May 25, 2010

NORFOLK

Mayor Paul Fraim will unveil “Celebrate Trees,” an initiative to beautify the city and improve the environment, at 11 a.m. today in Lakewood Park on Willow Wood Drive, the site of the city’s first Living Legacy Grove.

Fraim will be joined by members of the Environmental Club at Willard Elementary School. Project partners include the Elizabeth River Project and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Celebrate Trees encourages residents and businesses to plant trees as a way to commemorate meaningful events in their lives. Individuals or businesses can also donate to the Living Legacy Groves, which will be established throughout the city.

The goal is to grow the city’s tree canopy to 40 percent from 33. A tree canopy is the layer of leaves, branches and stems of trees that cover the ground when viewed from above. Among other benefits, urban tree canopies improve water quality, conserve energy, lower city temperatures and reduce air pollution.

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Glad to Hear the Budget Crisis is Over

Submitted by Choose_Freedom on Wed, 05/26/2010 at 6:19 am.

This is very good news for city employees worried about losing their jobs. There is even extra money in the budget for pretty trees.

Good Idea

Submitted by jo7258 on Tue, 05/25/2010 at 1:17 pm.

This is actually a good idea. Norfolk's tree lined streets downtown and the Botanical Gardens are wonderful. I'd like to see someone cleaning up the vines that are growing over the large azaleas in the back of the garden before they're choked out.

Beautify

Submitted by Prairiedog on Tue, 05/25/2010 at 7:07 am.

Ooohhhhhhh!! isn't Paul Fraim such a wonderful man. The schools are failing, light rail is hurting, Waterside is a failure...and the King Of Norfolk wants things pretty! Who's advising him??? That crazy a-- mayor of Portsmouth?

One Question

Submitted by Chocolatelab1 on Tue, 05/25/2010 at 6:54 am.

Who's going to pay for it? Answer: taxpayers...

This is simple

Submitted by hurdboy on Tue, 05/25/2010 at 6:41 am.

Finish the light rail project. Construction the last two years has been the biggest eyesore.

apply palm to forehead

Submitted by Max Baxter on Tue, 05/25/2010 at 8:51 am.

Gosh, I wonder why no one ever thought of finishing the project. Drop everything else. You're giving citizen Hurdboy a headache.

why the negative comments?

Submitted by Akira1 on Tue, 05/25/2010 at 6:37 am.

What a positive step for the city! Not sure why there are negative comments on this. Seems to me that this program offers nothing but positive benefits to the city and residents.

Negatives

Submitted by truthseeker on Tue, 05/25/2010 at 9:56 am.

Because there are ALWAYS negative comments on anything the city does, followed by negative comments on the negative commentators, etc, etc, ad nauseum. Perhaps this tree planting will branch out to other areas, but I'm afraid it will wind up going to the dogs.