Lawton Neighborhoods Need More Fall Color

Isn't it a bit ironic that the ugliest stretch of Cache Road in Winter, Spring, and Summer is also the prettiest stretch of Cache Road in Fall? But that's the magic of trees. I don't know about you, but I'm from a little Mayberry-type town in Northern Oklahoma where all of the trees change colors in Fall. The entire town goes yellow, orange, and red in October and generally lasts through about the middle of November before the trees start letting those leaves shed. Of course, this year wasn't the best example as that crazy October ice storm really stunted and shocked the trees in that area of the state. With the high winds last week, most of those leaves disappeared, but that's not the point, the point is Fall color is the easiest and cheapest was to beautify a city. So can it work in Lawton? Well, yes and no.

Yes, planting color changing and varied trees would definitely beautify this town from NW 82nd to SE 45th, but therein lies a slight hitch in the giddyup... With so many renters in Lawton, who is going to plant the trees that could give this town a much needed facelift?

I suppose we could implore the property owners to do that, but as I know a bunch of homeowners that happen to be military, and they rent their homes out while the Army moves them around to other posts. They'll be back one day, but until then, like any landlord, they want to operate that lease as cheap as possible. There's not investment to be made until they all eventually move back. That's not to say that all property owners are military in this town, but the method of operation is the same.

Maybe the city could somehow finance a big bulk purchase of small potted trees in the future. It might cost a million or two, but they seem to be doing a good job coming up with enough money during a global health and financial pandemic to purchase the mall right? What's a little more debt when piled onto a bunch of debt anyway?

I know these color changing trees would live and thrive here, Cache Road is the proof of that. It's just the getting rid of our native trees that just turn brown tends to upset people when it comes to our ecological environment. Yes, those ugly trees are native to our area, but we've got an entire mountain range full of ugly brown trees, might as well do something to make Lawton somewhat attractive. I know the city has tried beautifying the city in the past, look at 2nd street. While people initially fought the tearing down of old charming buildings and businesses over there, the shopping center and hotel is pretty impressive as long as you don't look across the street. It's all sort of out of place. Like when you're driving through the old military housing West of North Sheridan and stumble across the rear gates of The Enclave... It just all doesn't seem to fit together quite right.

Are prettier trees the answer? No, but they're a part of the answer. Plus, it'd be nice to have more than just those two weeks of Fall every year when those terribly over-planted pear trees finally fall into yellows and reds.