The theme for this week’s Tuesdays in Ballard was about giving back. The In Ballard Merchants Association (IBMA), who runs the summer marketing campaign, is also giving back.
Photo from June 2011
Last month the little tree in front of BalMar was snapped in half. On Tuesday evening, David Bentler from the IBMA along with Tyler and Peter Meerdink took the tree out. When they took the metal grating off, they discovered roots that were more established than they thought. “It took just under one hour to finally wrench it out,” Bentler says.
“The Association is taking care of the labor, permitting, tree cost, and whatever else comes up in replacing the tree,” Bentler tells us. “This was our way to give back as an Association.”
The original tree was dedicated in memory of Thomas R. Miller. The plaque just south of the tree says:
A long time political activist, Ballard arts lover, civic planner, restaurateur and humanitarian whose foresight, tenacity and commitment to community helped make Ballard a better place to work and play.
The IBMA will hold a tree-planting ceremony once all the permits are in place.
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