It Takes a Village

Once there was a beautiful old oak tree on the library front lawn. Children sat beneath it reading. Mothers with strollers rested in its shade.

But officials wanted a bigger front door for the library, so they started to build one. Soon a stern sign appeared on the library lawn: "Please do not walk on the lawn, you may disturb the roots of this old tree".

Then they put a fence around it. The new front door opened. The tree died.

Who will protect Wilmette's trees from the village?

Once there was a mass of trees lining an old wall, their gnarled branches shading the block. The land changed hands--now it's village land, and then sold for a dollar to the park district.

The 40 trees came down for community development.

The new trustee who campaigned for the village to "save" the land and buy it said they weren't supposed to cut all the trees down at once. Village officials said the trees were below average on their scale. Village trustees proposed a new ordinance sternly mandating us to protect the trees around our homes.

But who will protect us from the village? We fought back on that one, but now--

There is a 5 story building going up on our main street. The village is pushing for the rest of the block to be developed. They insist eminent domain is not an option. Construction will shake the foundations of the neighboring mom and pop stores, where our children ride their bikes.

It may block the morning sun from the library, and at day's end may cast a long shadow on village hall.

It takes a village.