Trees axed again

A park adjacent to Mashtots Avenue and Saryan Street is now fenced off from all sides by metal plates. It is being rebuilt. According to the announcement handing right there, the construction work were due to begin as early as in May (27.05.2015), but they have been launched in winter – in severe frost.

A few days after the launch of construction works one of the Facebook users wrote:

‘Environmentalists, attention!
Thick-trunked trees have been axed for the sake of ‘land improvement’ in the park adjacent to Mashtots Avenue.’

The next day, when we tried to find out from the people, working in the park, how many trees were actually cut down, we were assured that all trees were on their place. In response to our remark that a few trees were missing in the left corner and that asymmetry was obvious, they answered: it was the same way before.

Meanwhile, there are photos provided by Past.am, that prove that the trees were really cut down.

The City Hall responded to our written inquiry as follows:

‘The first phase of the reconstruction and improvement of the boulevard is underway on the main avenue, on M. Mashtots Avenue – Saryan street section. It is envisaged to replace already dilapidated, no longer operating pools and fountains with modern water and landscape elements and fountains, as well as to organize recreation area with benches.

At the same time, let us notify you that small architectural and landscape forms and volumes will be applied, the original character of which will make the site more pleasant, the green areas will be also expanded and new types of trees will be planted.

In future, it is also planned to build cafés, as well as to erect a monument to Karen Demirchyan in the aforementioned sections.’

None of Yerevan resident will be against landscaping and improving of one of the central boulevards and against ‘making this area more pleasant. But why should the trees be cut down again for the sake of another café? The City Hall is deaf to the environmentalists’ warnings that this will lead us to desertification with all that it implies. Even if new trees are planted, as the City Hall promises, one will have to wait long until they grow.