City of Chicago responds after WGN report on dying tree

The tree outside Maurie Richie’s Northwest Side home was dying. He called the city and his alderman’s office to request its trimming or removal.

But more than two years later, no one had come out to address the problem.

Increasingly frustrated, Richie called WGN Investigates for help. A day after the WGN News story aired last month, the city showed up at Richie’s home to remove the tree from the parkway.

With the tree taken care of, WGN's Lourdes Duarte talked to the city's Department of Streets and Sanitation commissioner Cole Stallard, and took a deeper dive behind Stallard and the DSS's efforts to proactively maintain and trim trees around Chicago.

[BUDDYX]

I complained to neighbors for years about the same thing. Nothing was done. It finally fell on my house and made a hole in my roof.

[drjekelmrhyde]

The main problem is that tou can only report a dying tree if it's in front of YOUR property. So if you see a dying tree while walking down the block or if you're a renter you can't report it.

[ironaddicted]

The city is ran so inefficiently and horrible, fire these people and hire competent people

[akeem]

I work in HP. Anytime it storms there's at least 5 trees down or parts of the tree one day i saw an entire block of damaged cars. I guarantee the city won't pay. However the city does things line fine property owners for ice

[MichaelOSullivan-lg]

Give the Venezuelans a raise they need your money 💰

[RichardFranciskovich]

Commonsense, trim your gorgeous trees ❤😮

[jwf]

Sad you have to shame the city in to doing their job!