Despite the objections of residents, the collection of signatures and accusations of cutting down a large number of trees for the construction of the new cycle path, construction works have started on Jūrmala Avenue. The demarcation tapes have been pulled and the first large trees were felled on Monday, Latvian Radio reports on 28 July.
The work was also watched by several local residents and opposition councillors, who filmed the proceedings, questioned the workers and tried to stop the process. One resident was dressed as a clown and was waving a saw in a reflective vest. The residents interviewed by Latvian Radio said:
“Development is good, yes, but the trees should be spared. I feel sorry for the trees, too. Especially in the centre. We have a lot of trees here, but where I live, there are very few trees. So I think we should spare the trees. Because of all these disasters- all the floods, the heat and all that.”
“How can you cut down the greenery? Whole trees. So, something is wrong with the city council. On a 6.5-kilometre track, 265 trees have to be cut down. Is that even normal? The cycle track doesn’t work in winter? Only in the summer. Spring starts, and that’s it. I’m not against landscaping, but, sorry, cutting down a park like that.”
“The residents of Imanta, within two days, we all went to sign. More than 2,000 signatures were collected. Imanta residents don’t need a fourth cycle path because we already have three cycle paths. The majority of Imanta residents are, of course, against it. We are not against the cycle path, but against this absurd arrangement as it is. We have agreed with the residents of our house that, just like on the Baltic Way, people joined hands, so we will stand in front of our trees.”
“They don’t have to be cut down, but they don’t last forever anyway. Nothing is eternal. They’re beautiful.”
Photo: Laura Paleja / Latvijas Radio
Photo: Laura Paleja / Latvijas Radio
Photo: Laura Paleja / Latvijas Radio
Photo: Laura Paleja / Latvijas Radio
Photo: Laura Paleja / Latvijas Radio
Latvian Radio observed that the police were also involved.
On Friday, at an extraordinary meeting of the council’s committee in charge, where the opposition called for the project to be stopped, the majority of deputies decided to continue with the project, promising to review the number of trees to be felled. Latvian Radio has information that at least 60 trees could be preserved, and the cycle path will be shifted a little further to damage possibly fewer trees.
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