TREE: Keep it, honor freedom

As lifelong Coeur d'Alene residents, we are concerned and care deeply about the future of McEuen Field. Much has already been written, but we wish to talk about the Freedom Tree.

At the Feb. 10 McEuen Park public meeting, a city speaker stated this spruce tree was expendable because it had been planted in the wrong place, wasn't very healthy and wasn't receiving adequate water because the asphalt was too close to the trunk of the tree, and that the tree would probably not be long-lived. It was planted in the late ‘50s and is now more than 50 years old.

"THE FREEDOM TREE WITH THE VISION OF UNIVERSAL FREEDOM FOR ALL MAKING THIS TREE IS DEDICATED TO CAPT FRED MCMURRAY AND ALL PRISONERS OF WAR AND MISSING IN ACTION 1972."

This tree represents what is good and right about Coeur d'Alene; indeed, what is good and right about the United States, and it has great significance to many Coeur d'Alene residents. Please tell us who advocates cutting down this tree and replacing it with a razzle-dazzle high-maintenance fountain?

In addition, we urge the retention of the people's Third Street boat launch. Why destroy one of the premier boat launches in the state of Idaho? It is paid for and a new one in an inferior location will cost millions! Does our city know no fiscal responsibility? And please, no Tubbs Hill clear-cut for a sledding hill, and no tree-cutting or rock blasting for more trails. Keep our hill natural! We prefer the ball parks right where they are. It is a beautiful place to play and watch baseball.

We certainly agree that grass, trees and flowers would be an improvement over asphalt, but at what cost? Could an underground garage be built that would satisfy EPA regulations and without leakage problems? Closing Front Avenue between Second and Third would cause huge traffic problems during Art on the Green, Ironman and Car d'Lane especially. Who or what would this benefit? Is it a good idea to close Fourth Street between Sherman and Front to all but pedestrian traffic and service trucks?

We had to write this letter because the survey put out by Team McEuen did not address most of these issues. We, the people of Coeur d'Alene, were not asked what we wanted to keep, what we wanted taken away and what we wanted improved. Mayor and City Council, you were elected to listen to us. We implore you to do just that.

LARRY and SHARON STROBEL

Coeur d'Alene