AVH shows lack of care for locals

Dear Editor:

In listening to all the objections to the height, mass and scale of the new hospital, I was wondering why the board has not ordered better screening, with tall trees (around 40 feet tall) surrounding the north side of the parking garage?

Our bike trail has been destroyed by the cutting down of scores of mature cottonwoods. Now Aspen Valley Hospital says that it cannot mitigate with tall pines or cottonwood vegetation because these would be too close to the utility line and water main under the existing trail.

This should have been better-thought-out by the board and presented to locals and the public before this was built! Steve Skadron implied that no true renderings were ever offered at the time. I say to the hospital board and administration, before embarking on another 83,000 square-foot addition, use your own money in reserve to have the water main moved so that appropriate screening of the parking garage can take place!

Why should we locals have to bear the burden of our destroyed mountain views, our impacted bike trail and our senior center with the impacts of what appears to be a seven-story industrial complex in a residential neighborhood?

Loretta De Rose

Aspen