A group of Carthay Circle neighbors spent Labor Day laboring on their beloved street trees. Carthay Circle is home to one of the City’s oldest tree-lined medians on San Vicente Blvd., but the condition of the trees following years of drought motivated concerned residents to take actions to try to preserve them.
“Tons of traffic goes through our small HPOZ neighborhood and we are surrounded by all the Metro construction,” resident Ann Rubin told the Buzz. “At the beginning of the summer, people were noticing that trees were looking stressed and the grass was not being watered and starting wondered what was happening,” explained Rubin, a member of the Carthay Circle Neighborhood Association board of directors, who starting making calls around the city to find out if the median was being watered.
“I had heard the city wasn’t watering medians,” Rubin told the Buzz.  “Hancock Park told us they only got water on the Highland median because it’s a landmark, so I wasn’t sure what was happening with our median.”
Rubin thought if she could get some mulch down that would keep the ground cool after the spring rains, and keep the trees going. The trees were planted 30 years ago, explained Rubin. In 1987, 100 trees were planted in  honor of the 60th anniversary of the Cathray Circle neighborhood.
“We were worried about the Jacaranda trees near Fairfax Blvd. making it through the summer,” said Rubin.
After a series of calls to 311, she learned there were several different city departments involved in maintenance of the median. Rubin was able to get the sprinklers serviced, though she’s not exactly sure how. But thanks to efforts by CD5 staff in Councilman Koretz’s office, a load of free mulch was delivered by very helpful staff from the Bureau of Sanitation’s yard at Lopez Canyon.
Then, over two Sunday mornings, Carthay Circle residents came out to spread mulch at the base of the trees, despite the heat.
“It turned out to be a great volunteer activity for everyone to see how we could help keep the trees alive,” said Rubin.
Next week, on September 26,  the homeowners association is planting new trees on Commodore Sloat Drive. Residents who are interested in helping can contact the Carthay Circle Homeowners Association at [email protected]
