The City of Chicago is disturbed and very disappointed that the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) chopped down 19 healthy ash trees from its plaza (“Trees near jail suffer unkindest cut of all,” Page 1, June 14). The act seems hasty and was excessive.
Most Chicagoans appreciate that trees are an important part of the urban environment. They’re not only pretty; they provide habitat and help clean the air. The trees that graced MCC’s plaza provided shade and were part of a network of green spaces in the South Loop area that relieved summertime temperatures and gave shelter to birds. The stark plaza that remains is an affront to the surrounding community. Safety is an important consideration, and as a public facility, the MCC should promote safety as part of a thoughtful plan that also includes pleasant public spaces and good quality of life for Chicagoans.
I have written Warden Jerome Graber of the MCC and asked him to begin immediately to rectify this regrettable action and to offer our assistance in seeking community input for a restoration effort.
