FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio -- As part of its continued effort to add more trees throughout the community, Fairview Park is applying for an Ohio Department of Natural Resources Urban Canopy Restoration Grant.
“We’re applying for approximately 62 trees to be planted along West 214th Street and Eaton Road,” City Arborist Mike Varga said. “Thornless cockspur hawthorn will be the first choice and crusader hawthorn will be the alternate for Eaton Road in about 20 locations.
“Frontier hybrid elm will be the first choice and valley forge hybrid elm will be the alternate for West 214th Street in roughly 42 locations.”
The 50/50 grant will require the city to contribute up to $7,000. Varga said if the funds are approved, the plantings will take place in 2022.
The Eaton Road tree addition is part of the city’s $225,000 project to add sidewalks between West 210th Street and Mastick Road. The idea is to allow walkers and bicyclists access to the Cleveland Metroparks’ Valley Parkway in the Rocky River Reservation.
“We lost a lot of crabapple trees in that area of Eaton Road,” Varga said. “They were just old, so we’re going to beautify the sidewalk area.”
The new grant application comes after the city was recently awarded funding from the 2021 Cuyahoga County Healthy Urban Tree Canopy Grant for the planting of 150 trees. They will be equally spread out among Tri-City Park ($26,999), as well as Bain Park, Elizabeth Avenue, Overlook Drive, Briarwood Drive and Marian Circle ($46,012).
The Tri-City Park application was in conjunction with Rocky River and Westlake for the shared area. Both are 90/10 grants, with $8,100 being contributed by Fairview Park, Rocky River and Westlake.
“Tri-City Park and Bain Park will be planted this fall and Overlook Drive, Elizabeth Avenue, Marian Circle and Briarwood Drive will be planted in the spring,” Varga said. “All of these trees have been tagged (reserved) at the nursery/grower.
“We’re trying to diversify, just get more variety in the city, in case something comes through like emerald ash borer, so it won’t wipe out many streets.”
Among the different varieties going into the aforementioned area are sugar maple, Ohio buckeye, autumn fire hornbeam, musclewood or American hornbeam, northern catalpa, common hackberry, redbud and American hazelnut.
“We’re also going to work on a master tree plan,” Varga said. “I have a preliminary draft. It’ll be submitted to Shade Tree Advisory Committee.”
The city arborist expects the master tree plan to be approved next year.
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