Tree Planting to Spruce Up San José

THIRTY-two trees will soon provideshade and shelter and beautify the area inSan José between the Plaza de laDemocracia and The Tico Times buildingon Avenida 8, as a project of theMunicipality of San José and the Friendsfor Peace Center.“Making the area a pleasant place towalk and extending the pedestrian boulevardthat runs along Calle 17 from ParqueNacional to Avenida 8 will help the environmentand make the area more attractiveto tourists and residents. It willencourage people to come into the area,”said Isabel Macdonald, coordinator of thecenter. “We hope to get this done in timefor the program at the museum on Dec. 1to celebrate the abolition of the army.Improving the environment is a part of ourpeace objectives.”Planting trees in the downtown area isa peace project, and the Friends for PeaceCenter on Avenida 6 bis, Calle 15, hopes itwill bring visitors to its door as well as tothe museum, the Plaza de la Democracia,the crafts market and the area around thelaw courts. Appropriate trees will beselected by the parks division of theMunicipality of San José.THE center is looking for sponsors toadopt trees, to pay for the cost of the trees(¢2,500/$5.15 each) and maintenance. Themunicipality has already examined the areafor places to plant the trees so they will notinterfere with underground electric lines orstructures, and will do the excavating andplanting.At a later date, the municipality willhold a meeting at the center for sponsors,area residents and the public on the importanceand care of trees in an urban environment.Another project to beautify the area isa peace mural by children participating ina series of activities at the Friends forPeace Center. This project is a result of atwo-year series of activities at the centerinitiated by Myrna Ortiz, artist, communityleader and resident of the neighborhood.Ranging from preschoolers to teens,the children come from around San Joséand Heredia, north of the capital.The mural will brighten the retainingwall of the railroad overpass on Calle 15,between the Plaza de la Democracia andAvenida 4, recently refurbished for therenewed train service.Donations for trees can be deposited inthe Centro de los Amigos Cuaqueros parala Paz Banco Nacional dollar account,number 000-600807-2, or can be takendirectly to the center. For more information,call the center at 233-6168.