When I was a kid in downtown Toronto, my family used to go on Sunday afternoon picnics in High Park. In those days High Park was a forest. There were vast numbers of trees providing cool shade as well as places to play in and explore.
All those trees stood guard over ribbons of brooks and streams, providing shelter for the fish and frogs and salamanders. The park was teeming with chipmunks, muskrats, and rabbits, as well as birds of all kinds, from owls to beautiful red cardinals.
Now High Park has lots of trees, but it is no longer a great forest for kids to play in. The majority of the trees that were there are gone. And without the trees many streams have dried up. There are no fish, and not much wildlife except for some squirrels and relentless sea gulls picking through the garbage that lies out in the sun.
People still picnic here and there, but without all those trees, the park is more sterile. There used to be alcoves in wooded settings, but they’re gone. Judging by the discarded containers that are all
about, High Park lends itself more to fast food than the sandwiches, potato salad and the home-made wine that I remember. It was all laid out on dishes, with cutlery and real glasses brought from home.
I remember when High Park had only one playground, with the standard swings and see saws. It was in a gully surrounded by trees. Today there are lots of playgrounds with state-of-the-art play equipment. But no shade.
I miss the trees.
There was a time when people had trees in their backyards. Big old trees and small little trees growing with the help of a stick or an iron bar to keep them steady as they grew. People used to set out little tables right on the ground among the grass and dirt of the backyard, and talk over a glass of lemonade under the shade of trees.
Many of these trees were cut down to make way for the construction of sterile decks built off the ground. Most of these decks are made from wood that could have once been a beautiful shade tree. What irony.
There is a wonderful intimacy that only a tree can provide in a backyard. It is unlike anything that can be created with fountains, cement statues or patio furniture. There is no other coolness like a summer breeze under the shade of a tree. Central air doesn’t even come close.
During a hot summer night, nothing can be compared to the fresh smell of rain as it falls on the protective leaves of a stand of trees. For what it’s worth I can think of no better closing gift for a client than a good healthy young tree ready to give a lifetime of comfort.
These days and times we live in, it seems to me that it could be one of the most important gifts any homeowner could receive.
Heino Molls is publisher of REM. [email protected]
By: Heino Molls
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