My wife and I were on our way to the Bean Scene, our favourite coffee place on Bernard Avenue, and as we turned the corner off Abbott, we were astounded and dismayed to see that all the beautiful shade trees along the sidewalks had been cut down. 
Was the public informed this was to be a part of the new plan?
The conceptual drawings were abstract enough there was no indication that this type of wanton destruction would be part of the plan for Bernard revitalization.
The mature trees were what made it possible to enjoy strolling along Bernard under a blazing hot summer sun, or to have a lunch at a shaded sidewalk cafe, or coffee while sitting in the shade. This is what made Bernard such an appealing and inviting place to visit.
We were aghast, as were other people who were looking at the destruction, that the city  planners who devised this scheme failed to take in to account the importance of those beautiful mature trees to lower Bernard.
Surely, a compromise could have been created that would have widened the sidewalks but left existing trees alone.
Are we going to have a Bernard Avenue in the future that will have nondescript lamp poles akin to a Christmas tree without any branches and have no relationship to the more historic aspect of the street and the more traditional and historic look to many buildings along it? 
In particular, will we have to wait for years before we will once again be able to walk along a tree-shaded avenue during the hot summer months?
Whoever commissioned the cutting down of these beautiful trees should be fired or at least have to explain to the public the rationale for this disgusting action.
Hopefully, many more Kelowna residents will take a look at this situation along Bernard, as I am sure that their response will be the same as ours was. 
If any business owners along lower Bernard  were aware that the trees would be removed,they should be ashamed of themselves!
R. Mallett,
Kelowna