Some trees planted during construction of the second phase of Marietta's River Trail are already scheduled to be transplanted.
"Several Gingko trees planted along the trail by the Lafayette Hotel are not desirable at that location," said city development director Mike Stocky.
The trees line the trail between Ohio Street and the parking lot on the south side of the hotel.
"We'll be moving them," he said. "They're nice trees, but not for that location near the Lafayette."
Hotel general manager Sheila Rhodes agreed.
"Once the trees grow to a certain height they would block the view of the (Ohio) river from our Riverview Lounge," she said. "And there were no trees in that area before."
Stocky said the Gingkos and a stand of maple trees along the trail at the Ohio River levee were part of the contract with R.C. Construction of Cutler who built the second phase of the River Trail project.
"The maple trees by the levee can be trimmed from the bottom, and were designed to provide shade when they're full grown," Stocky said. "Those trees will stay."
He said the mature maples that stood along the levee prior to construction of the trail had to be removed.
"We really wanted to keep them, but there just wasn't room, so we planted the new trees," Stocky said.
The contractor officially turned the second phase of the trail over to the city after the Ohio Department of Transportation approved the grant-funded project.
Fence changes
In addition to moving the Gingko trees, Stocky said the city will also make some changes to a section of board fence installed along the trail on Ohio Street near the Williamstown Bridge.
The 4-foot-high fence was designed to prevent bicyclists from running off the trail and over the river bank, but it also blocks the view of the river for anyone seated on a park bench located near the fence.
"We'll leave the fence there, but will modify the railing so it doesn't interfere with the view," Stocky said.
