A New Downtown Look Planned In Western Springs

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL — Western Springs plans to do away with the planters containing flowers and trees in downtown.

The village is struggling to keep the plants thriving because they are competing with roots from existing trees, according to a village memo.

The trees have been in decline for years for much the same reason, becoming root-bound in the small planters, the memo said.

Also, the planters are showing their age and starting to fall apart.

Under the new plan, the village will keep the areas of the planters for green space, with plants and trees planted at ground level, Public Works Superintendent Christopher Breakey said in the memo.

"The new planting areas will remain largely on the same footprint, but will become larger overall as we are removing the raised walls and leaving the area for plantings," Breakey said.

The project is expected to take until next spring or fall, he said.

Village President Alice Gallagher called it a "wonderful idea."

"I have heard about this for many, many years now about the sad state of the trees and the root-bound nature of them," Gallagher said.

Trustee Heidi Rudolph agreed.

"Rather than risk letting them deteriorate and slowly die, I would rather us go about proactive change sooner rather than later," she said.

The other trustees also said they supported the project.