East 7th St Gets Planted!

EAST 7TH ST. GETS PLANTED: COUNCILWOMAN LOWENTHAL HELPS PLANT NEARLY 100 TREES ON BOULEVARD

 Saturday April 27th 8am-11am Meet at Dawson and 7th St., Long Beach, CA

Long Beach, CA (April 25, 2013)— East 7th St. from Alamitos to Redondo is being planted. The city started this past Monday planting 70 trees from Alamitos to Junipero; in existing as well as new tree wells. This coming Saturday the communities along East 7th St: Rose Park, Craftsman Village and North Alamitos Beach will help plant the remaining trees.

To make an effect, the group decision, with input from the city’s arborist, was to plant a single tree species -Tabebuia impetiginosa – also known as pink ipe or purple trumpet. Hundreds of trees were considered, but this tree was thought to produce most of the desired benefits of greening the street: hardy for the conditions, have modest seasonal change, and have a pretty tree structure. In just a couple of years, driving down East 7th St. will be substantially altered due to this one project.   The East 7th St. Collaboration is made up of the adjoining neighborhoods, 7th St retailers & property owners, as well as self employed who work along East 7th St.  The group asked Councilwoman Lowenthal to consider a major tree planting to improve the cohesiveness along the boulevard and she readily agreed. The E7 group meets monthly to make a difference in the look and function of East 7th St.

The actions of the group continue a long legacy of community based street improvement efforts. One of the first actions of the Rose Park Association in the early 1900’s was to get the street paved. Since 2010, the informal E7 group has achieved intersection pavers from Alamitos to Junipero; which this tree planting is part of. In addition, it has also worked with the city’s planning department and the owner of the Big Saver grocery chain to achieve a neighborhood appropriate design for its upcoming remodel at Junipero and East 7th St.

More work is needed to improve the street. Business and property owners along East 7th St, as well as owners of home based businesses adjacent to East 7th St. are encouraged to get involved and may contact Gretchen Swanson at connect2RosePark@gmail.com. Better yet, come out to the tree planting this Saturday 8am at Dawson and East 7th St and meet your neighbors while planting a tree.

Sponsors include: Suja Lowenthal, Councilwoman 2nd District, East 7th St. Collaboration, Rose Park Neighborhood Association, Craftsman Village Historic District, North Alamitos Beach Neighborhood Assn.