Stopped at the triangle by a traffic light I realized the palm trees lining the main road into Key West will soon be -horrors!-torn down. And -double horrors!!- might not be replaced with more coconut palms after the street is rebuilt. 
The city has announced that in order to save money looking after these high maintenance trees they may be replaced them with less expensive palms after the Boulevard (the informal name given to North Roosevelt Boulevard) is re-built. However the public outcry is putting that idea on hold at the moment. These palms are the trees planted around the Marriott Beachside Hotel which sits at the Triangle (as the entrance to the city of Key West is known).They seem to be flourishing quite nicely.
The city has announced that in order to save money looking after these high maintenance trees they may be replaced them with less expensive palms after the Boulevard (the informal name given to North Roosevelt Boulevard) is re-built. However the public outcry is putting that idea on hold at the moment. These palms are the trees planted around the Marriott Beachside Hotel which sits at the Triangle (as the entrance to the city of Key West is known).They seem to be flourishing quite nicely.How did this cyclist get here in an essay about the palms of the Boulevard? 
That's because the Boulevard is lined on it's north shore not only by palm trees but also by a wide, spacious sidewalk/bike path.
The road is five lanes wide, including a center turn lane that few motorists know how to use properly so perhaps it might give way to a center median with turn lanes to not confuse the poor dears navigating their cages. 
The coconut palm in Key west is an odd tree. It's not a native plant around here but it has become by default the symbol of tropical vacations world wide. Images of luxurious rest are enhanced by a picture of an artful palm draped over a sandy beach with turquoise water filling the background. 
On those grounds alone the predictable groundswell of opposition to change has arisen across the city. The fear is that tourists will turn away in droves if North Roosevelt were to be lined with anything other than non native coconut palms. No other palm will do. Indeed no other tree will do, and so loud has the clamor grown the city is backpedaling to avoid charges of tree fascism and worse. You still won't be allowed to park vehicles longer than 20 feet (6.5 meters if you're from Quebec) on city streets.
The city in it's defense claimed the coconut palms are expensive to maintain as they produce tons of fronds, as I know myself thanks to my dozen mature coconut trees at home. They also produce nuts that fall and hurt people and damage things and become missiles in hurricanes. My mailbox looks like it is in a war zone as I can't cut down the coconuts fast enough. So you might say I, a non city resident, am sympathetic to the city's plight.
However rational thinking is nowhere to be seen. Making the argument that the city spends money unnecessarily to maintain these trees is a point of view that carries no water for the "anti-government-waste" nutters who have done an about face and now insist the city government waste money maintaining a fresh crop of coconuts after the street is rebuilt.
The bike path went through the same rectal probe of indignation when it was a crumbling cement path and the complaints about the potholes were incessant enough to fill a novel. I used to hate cycling the assault course that was the old bike path as it crumbled underneath my tires.
Finally the city spent hundreds of thousands paving the path and told citizens it was a temporary measure until North Roosevelt was completely rebuilt by the State of Florida, a project finally due to get underway next year and last two years. Then the complaints came in that the path was black and going to absorb heat and be too hot for people to ride comfortably... 
Date palms like those shown above are unacceptable. Royal palms were also mooted as were native thatch palms. Indeed there are 2600 species of palm trees in existence but the demand is for cocos nucifera. Of course North Roosevelt is pretty ugly so the argument in favor of keeping at least one side of the road looking pretty isn't completely lost on me.
However the passionate voices in support of the palm trees aren't quite so loud when it comes to some decent landscaping on the business side of the Boulevard which is, to put it politely, a mess for the most part.
That's because the Boulevard is lined on it's north shore not only by palm trees but also by a wide, spacious sidewalk/bike path.The road is five lanes wide, including a center turn lane that few motorists know how to use properly so perhaps it might give way to a center median with turn lanes to not confuse the poor dears navigating their cages. 
The coconut palm in Key west is an odd tree. It's not a native plant around here but it has become by default the symbol of tropical vacations world wide. Images of luxurious rest are enhanced by a picture of an artful palm draped over a sandy beach with turquoise water filling the background. 
On those grounds alone the predictable groundswell of opposition to change has arisen across the city. The fear is that tourists will turn away in droves if North Roosevelt were to be lined with anything other than non native coconut palms. No other palm will do. Indeed no other tree will do, and so loud has the clamor grown the city is backpedaling to avoid charges of tree fascism and worse. You still won't be allowed to park vehicles longer than 20 feet (6.5 meters if you're from Quebec) on city streets.The city in it's defense claimed the coconut palms are expensive to maintain as they produce tons of fronds, as I know myself thanks to my dozen mature coconut trees at home. They also produce nuts that fall and hurt people and damage things and become missiles in hurricanes. My mailbox looks like it is in a war zone as I can't cut down the coconuts fast enough. So you might say I, a non city resident, am sympathetic to the city's plight.However rational thinking is nowhere to be seen. Making the argument that the city spends money unnecessarily to maintain these trees is a point of view that carries no water for the "anti-government-waste" nutters who have done an about face and now insist the city government waste money maintaining a fresh crop of coconuts after the street is rebuilt.
The bike path went through the same rectal probe of indignation when it was a crumbling cement path and the complaints about the potholes were incessant enough to fill a novel. I used to hate cycling the assault course that was the old bike path as it crumbled underneath my tires.Finally the city spent hundreds of thousands paving the path and told citizens it was a temporary measure until North Roosevelt was completely rebuilt by the State of Florida, a project finally due to get underway next year and last two years. Then the complaints came in that the path was black and going to absorb heat and be too hot for people to ride comfortably... Date palms like those shown above are unacceptable. Royal palms were also mooted as were native thatch palms. Indeed there are 2600 species of palm trees in existence but the demand is for cocos nucifera. Of course North Roosevelt is pretty ugly so the argument in favor of keeping at least one side of the road looking pretty isn't completely lost on me.However the passionate voices in support of the palm trees aren't quite so loud when it comes to some decent landscaping on the business side of the Boulevard which is, to put it politely, a mess for the most part.There are some exceptions. I am quite fond of the gumbo limbos flourishing in front of the Home Depot Parking lot. 
Even motorcycles are enhanced by the presence of palm fronds. In the background the old Key West Diner remains empty awaiting a new tenant, behind it's carefully landscaped sidewalk.
The Salt Run Bridge is just a brief interruption to the march of the palm trees toward First Street and Truman Avenue. 
I parked my Bonneville under these spindly trees planted in the Walgreens lot. Low maintenance trees apparently preferred by the profit driven business class.
Not good enough we are told for a city managing a budget. Ah, irony, where is thy sting?
Even motorcycles are enhanced by the presence of palm fronds. In the background the old Key West Diner remains empty awaiting a new tenant, behind it's carefully landscaped sidewalk.The Salt Run Bridge is just a brief interruption to the march of the palm trees toward First Street and Truman Avenue. 
I parked my Bonneville under these spindly trees planted in the Walgreens lot. Low maintenance trees apparently preferred by the profit driven business class.Not good enough we are told for a city managing a budget. Ah, irony, where is thy sting?
5 comments:
Conch:
People are always going to bitch about this that and the other.. in my corner of the world the citizenry is in an uproar over milage rate hikes and police lay-offs (rightfully so)and wondering where all the "boom years" cash has gone. While we are laying off 24 fine, young police officers, at least our city had the foresight to build a botanical garden that few people visit (let alone know the location thereof) to the tune of several millions of dollars.
I myself prefer the palm trees...as fiscally irrational as they may be(and trust me, I am NO stranger to municipal irrationality). Also, I don't care much for the indenous vs. non-indegenous argument. Australian Pines aren't indegenous but they became part of the permamnent landscape and imagery (and saved at the fort as I recall). For that matter, Bahamians weren't idegenous either...
The conchscooter is non indigenous and lives with his non native wife. Nevertheless, he's part of my view of Key West and should be kept on the payroll regardless of the expense.
I recall a row of palms being trucked into SF to decorate upper Market Street. You're right; only certain types of palm will do.
You might go around town humming "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts," but I suggest that you refrain from doing so at work, esp. when you get a call about a 5150.
On another note, have you joined the coconut water craze yet? I have, and it's addictive and expensive.
Thank ypou for your non indigenous support.
Sometimes city planners think they know it all and where we live is no different. You might recall Woodlawn Ave that runs close to our house as a major 4 lane street and the fact that we have a lot of mature trees in our neighborhood.
The city planners wanted to widen it to 5 lanes with one of those infamous turn lanes you love so much. And they would have to chop down a bunch of the old trees to do it. Everybody raised hell.
It was all because the traffic planners predicted that the traffic on the street would double in the next ten years, which most of us thought was bogus.
Their thought process was amazingly dumb, but they were certain that they knew what was best for us. I have always distrusted people that said things like that.
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