Planned Desecration Of A Bronx Legacy

Published on July 05, 2010, 2:36 pm
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We are all witnessing the utter defilement of the Gulf waters and the vast effects this unrelenting oil volcano, deep under water, is having on the natural environment, the economy and ultimately on the health and survivability of the people in that region.

Pelham Parkway trees removed for guardrail.

Pelham Parkway trees with guardrail.

The fact is, we have all become Louisianans; not only from the ripple effect that this catastrophe will have in a multitude of ways, but conceptually as well. Like the people down there, we also find ourselves having life determining decisions being made for us; most often not in our best interests, but rather expediently by corporations, whose agendas are condoned, coddled and supported in every way by government at every level, but at our expense and sacrifice. The whole arrangement stinks as much as the oil-fowled beaches, now off bounds and full of dead fish, which should have been full of summer fun seekers, enjoying the clear warm water and white sands. To say this is outrageous and unforgivable would be to speak euphemistically.  

While the Gulf disaster is of unfathomable proportions; the result of poor contingency planning, large important heads with incredibly miniscule minds, failed technology, terrible judgment and sheer hubris, it is nevertheless an accident. The planned cutting down of the Linden trees along Pelham Parkway, in order to put up a guardrail, will clearly degrade the environmental quality and beauty in our area of the Bronx, and by definition will be no accident! The reconstruction project as a whole, while it may have its benefits will still strike a hard blow to the very heart of what this Parkway signifies.

Come this autumn, when the grandness of the Parkway would normally find itself enhanced by the fall color array, there will instead be the piercing buzz of chain saws and the telltale snap of limbs, with a rash of crashing branches as the Lindens are needlessly brought down. This does not have to happen. We are the residents, we are the voters, we are the people who live and thrive here, and who have appreciated and enjoyed this Parkway for what it is, for generation after generation. We are also the underwriter’s of this project – as taxpayers. We absolutely do have a say in this and must now exercise our collective voice to prevent this unnecessary destruction of public forestry. Because it is bureaucratically condoned and contractually set for execution, by no means should one regard this as ‘written in stone.’ This is our “Gulf” – let us stand up and protect it: Say ‘NO’ to a the needless, excessive tree cutting aspect of a plan that if carried out, as is, will not be predicated upon respect for our environment or for its residents. To be sure, it will be a violation of our rights to a health promoting and aesthetically pleasing surrounding.

 

Jonas Bronck is the pseudonym under which we publish and manage the content and operations of The Bronx Daily.™ | Bronx.com - the largest daily news publication in the borough of "the" Bronx with over 1.5 million annual readers. Publishing under the alias Jonas Bronck is our humble way of paying tribute to the person, whose name lives on in the name of our beloved borough.