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Resident urges saving Nash Square trees, suggests alternate playground sites
Summary
A public commenter asked the council to preserve specimen trees in Nash Square and recommended using surface parking or Moore Square for a new playground rather than cutting mature trees.
Matthew Brown told the City Council that mature trees are a defining amenity for Raleigh and urged preservation of Nash Square’s large trees amid proposals to add a playground.
"Soon, we will be cutting down hundreds of big trees along Newbern Avenue for the bus rapid transit, and now I hear that there is a move to cut down trees in Nash Square to build a playground. That would be tragic," Brown said. "Nash Square has so many wonderful specimen trees. It is downtown's arboretum."
Brown described Nash Square as a roughly 4‑acre shaded area that he said provides cooling and habitat and urged the council to consider other locations for a playground such as Moore Square or surface parking lots downtown. He also said the city previously spent roughly $13 million removing trees and adding pavement to Moore Square but did not install many of the amenities that were promised at that time.
The public comment did not produce any council response or motion on the playground or tree removal; the remarks were a citizen request to preserve trees and consider alternative sites.
Brown asked the council to save trees across Raleigh, noting that downtown and lower‑income areas often have fewer trees and that development patterns are contributing to tree loss.
