City to add trees to south Merced park, but residents say it’s not enough

The city of Merced expects to add 10 new trees to a south Merced park beginning this week, replacing those removed in late 2013, but it’ll be several years before the saplings will provide the shade residents are looking for.

Those trees, which were already purchased for McNamara Park, cost the Parks and Recreation budget about $1,100. To make up for the little shade the 24-inch trees will provide, the Merced City Council also approved three to five shade structures at $1,000 each.

The council approved the plan Monday with a 5-2 vote. Councilmen Noah Lor and Michael Belluomini voted “no,” saying the city should pay more money to add larger trees to the park.

The council settled on trees that will grow to be large relatively quickly and that are resistant to disease.

The 1040 Canal St. park spent the bulk of last year with little shade because city workers removed nine large trees, according to city records. Those trees were diseased and reaching the end of their life spans, according to the city’s staff.

Still others were removed while the park underwent a $2.6 million state-funded revitalization, which is not complete.

Napoleon Washington of Merced, who spoke during public comment, said the city should make the park right by restoring the trees that were removed with larger, more mature trees. Though Washington is a Merced planning commissioner, he said he was speaking on behalf of those who live near and use the park.

City staff members said the problem is the larger the tree, the more expensive it is. For example, according to city records, one 36-inch tree is $775 – about seven times more expensive than the 24-inch one.

“It’s not just the dollar amount,” Washington said. “It’s the community need that’s important.”

The 8.7-acre park has a community swimming pool, playground, picnic shelter and basketball courts, among other features. It is known to be a popular hangout and is used for family gatherings and cultural celebrations.

City staff members said larger trees have a higher chance of dying when being moved from a plant nursery to the park. The more mature root system does not handle the move as well as younger roots, so it has a higher risk of failing to grow.

Councilman Kevin Blake said planting younger trees with a better chance to succeed, as well as installing shade structures, is a smarter use of money than planting bigger trees. “I think we should think long term and not have a knee-jerk reaction,” he said.

Several people in the audience expressed their displeasure with the final vote, letting out an audible groan.

Lor said he voted against the plan because residents at the meeting said the park and people who use it deserve larger trees. “We are not responding to the needs of the community,” he said.

This story was originally published March 17, 2015 at 4:46 PM with the headline "City to add trees to south Merced park, but residents say it’s not enough."