Memorial Drive Allée
Planting of Memorial Drive’s London plane trees (Platanus × acerifolia) along the the Charles River began in 1897. They have managed to survive and prosper, defying difficult environmental conditions to remain one of the City’s most iconic symbols. CP&GC is committed to advocating that any changes safeguard the current trees and committed to planting new ones.
Many original trees still exist with their broad canopy providing shade along sections of the Drive. When in 1962 a proposal was made to widen Memorial Drive, add underpasses, and cut down many many London Planes, this quickly caught the community’s attention and was met with immediate public resistance. These plans were abandoned following well-organized protest and national publicity and emboldened residents to organize and help save trees and public green space.
CP&GC has long shared this sentiment, following closely current Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) plans to refresh a one-mile stretch of Memorial Drive. Lane reductions hope to lend more land to green space, wider walking and biking paths, new native tree and shrub plantings and 24 new London plane tree plantings. CP&GC contributed a financial gift toward the effort to plant new London planes and provide care for the existing ones as the design for “Phase III of the Memorial Drive Restoration” by DCR is nearing completion.
