Downtown tree planting, sidewalk repairs begin next week in Atascadero
The Sunken Gardens in Atascadero.
Planting off eight new trees happening this week in Sunken Gardens
– Since the 1920s, Atascadero’s Sunken Gardens has featured deodar cedars, magnolias, and a variety of evergreen trees and shrubs, resulting in an inviting park setting for community members. In recent years, a large southern magnolia at the corner of East Mall and Palma Avenue and a large deodar cedar on West Mall had to be removed because the trees were past their lifespan and had become a potential safety hazard.
In Nov. 2021, the Atascadero City Council approved funding for the city’s Sunken Gardens Replanting Plan, and the planting of eight new trees (six redwood, one cedar, and one coastal live oak) in the park will take place on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 10 and 11. Planting the trees at this time of year provides the ideal conditions because of the additional moisture in the ground and lower temperatures. This effort is part of the city’s “economic and community vibrancy,” one of the key priorities identified by the city council in the adopted 2021-23 budget.
It is expected to be a two-day project, and due to school traffic in the morning, work will begin after 8:30 a.m. Some parking spaces on East Mall and West Mall will be temporarily marked with “No-Parking” signs where needed to facilitate the tree planting project. An arborist will be onsite during the project to help ensure the health and safety of the trees, and after the trees are planted, temporary fencing and mulch will be installed around the trees for their protection. No heavy equipment will be used on Sunken Gardens.
In addition to the Sunken Gardens tree planning project, the city is also planting 10 new trees along Entrada Avenue in the downtown, in conjunction with sidewalk repairs currently taking place. The sidewalk repair will resume during this week and should be completed by next week. It’s expected that two or three parking places on Entrada Avenue will be blocked off for machinery and equipment. Most of the sidewalk areas will remain open for pedestrian use, and where sidewalks are to be temporarily closed, proper signage will be posted. Once the sidewalk repairs are completed, 10 new trees will be planted along Entrada Avenue.
“The city is pleased to be moving forward with our Sunken Gardens Tree Replanting Plan at this time, as well as with the Entrada Avenue sidewalk improvements and tree planting,” said Nick DeBar, public works director. “We thank the neighboring businesses for their patience while we continue our work to beautify and enhance the downtown area.”
For any questions regarding this project, call the Atascadero Public Works Department at (805) 470-3440.
