'I was gutted': Cambridge residents shocked over tree removal in nearby park

A group of Cambridge residents were shocked to find a row of greenery lining one side of A. Wayne Taylor Park being removed on Friday.

A group of Cambridge residents were shocked to find a row of greenery lining one side of A. Wayne Taylor Park being removed on Friday.

“I came running out to my backyard and all I saw was this crew that was going gangbusters and just clearing all of the trees,” Samantha Kritz, whose home backs onto the park, said.

“It was shocking as a resident. It was incredibly upsetting and we were very, very angry with the situation.”

The trees and shrubs acted as a privacy barrier for the residents, blocking sightlines from the playground, school and sports fields in the park.

“I don’t necessarily need people looking in on me, and I don’t know that they necessarily need to see me in my backyard, either,” Kritz said.

Residents said they received no notification from the city that a significant change would be made.

“Some consultation prior to it happening would have been great, not getting up on Friday morning and having all the equipment here pulling it up by the roots,” nearby resident Judy Taylor said.