To the Editor:
When I returned to Great Falls, after only a week away, I
was absolutely shocked to find that our small but charming
shopping place was completely changed – in fact I had to do
a double take and almost did not recognize the place – it was
totally naked. In one fell swoop, all the small flowering trees in
the center of the parking lot had disappeared. We now have a
very common-or-garden shopping center without the unique
character and charm it had. We now have a center similar to all
the other suburban shopping centers---flat, boring, sun burnt
naked places. We will not be greeted with dogwoods and red
buds next spring. At least we will not have to “fight” for some
of the shade given by those trees next summer. When I asked
around as to the reason for this “massacre,” the answer was
July 29, 2012.
- Without those trees, customers will be able to better
see the signs of the stores. Is this a fair exchange for
the lives of those small trees? (which are not oaks and
maples etc., so they will not grow to majestic heights
and threaten to crash).
- We, the people, have no right to question what has
been done, the perpetrators claim they have had the
Fairfax County permission. Is this our local democracy
in action?
I think I can say that most us Great Falls residents will like to
have our trees back – not in the size of new, weak saplings but
of the same size and height when the old ones were killed. In
some countries, for every tree one cuts down, one has to plant
two more. All we are asking is to have replaced those which
the perpetrators have killed.
Pu-Chin Waide
Great Falls resident since 1976, before the shopping center was constructed.