North Bend trees get the axe: Property owner fed up with storm damage

Drivers in North Bend watched last week as a tree crew downed two big poplars behind a commercial center downtown.

Drivers in North Bend watched last week as a tree crew downed two big poplars behind a commercial center downtown.

The owner of the building, at Park and Main Streets, cut down the trees because of the ongoing damage.

Starting at 7:30 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 1, Clear View Tree Service of North Bend began cutting down the trees, which grow in the rear alley. The trees have punched more than 30 holes in the building’s rooftop over the years.

“They’ve done a lot of damage and destruction to the commercial building this year during the windstorms,” said Mike Wilkerson, Clear View owner. “The property owner got fed up and said they needed to come down.”

Building tenants include Frankie’s Pizza, Straight Chiropractic, Destiny by Designs, Curves and TOTZ.

A few years ago, Straight Chiropractic experienced a tree branch smashing through their roof and onto the air conditioner.

“It was raining buckets of water in the back of the office,” said Scott Massengill, chiropractor of Straight Chiropractic.

Happy that something is being done, Massengill said he wasn’t certain that they needed to be taken out completely. But anything that keeps the poplar limbs from crashing into his office is helpful, he added.