Over recent weeks the Town of Fountain Hills staff has been removing shade trees from the Centennial Circle area of the Cutillo Civic Plaza between the library and Community Center.

This is a first step in replacing the trees as well as additional steps toward repairs and improvements to the Centennial Circle. The trees that were originally planted, mostly palo verde, were a poor choice for the environment of the confined, paved circle, according to Interim Community Services Director Kevin Snipes.

“The health of the trees in the Centennial Pavilion area have continued to decline over the last year and for safety reasons [the trees] needed to be removed,” Snipes said. “In the last year we have had four trees fall and more are showing signs of uprooting and creating trip hazards because they are lifting the grates around them.”

Additionally, the existing trees were splitting and had wind damage making them unsafe for a public space, according to Snipes.

“All the trees that are removed will be replaced with new trees that are more tolerant and capable of survival in the microenvironment that the Pavilion creates.”

Snipes said the replacement trees were chosen with the idea that they will maximize shade around the perimeter of the pavilion. He said they will grow to heights of 35 to 45 feet with a 30-foot width. To help reduce the financial impact, staff will do the installation of the new trees.

The replacement tree species will include red push pitache, which the Town has used in other park locations, live oak and ironwood.

Staff will also install a structure to acknowledge participants in a fundraising effort to install an 80-foot shade pavilion at the center of the circle. The fundraising is an effort to substantially offset the cost of the shade structure.

Other improvements to be included in the Centennial Circle project are to upgrade landscaping other than adding new trees. There will also be some artwork that will be refurbished and moved to increase accessibility. This will be funded by the art fund.

The council also discussed this renovation effort as a step toward improving the Centennial Circle to generate interest in the planned International Dark Sky Discovery Center. Snipes said they will work with the Discovery Center to assure they do not plant new trees at a location they will need to be moved for construction.