Apple Trees to Replace Ornamental Trees on City Streets?

One thing that I got to wondering about today was, why do cities plant ornamental trees instead of apple trees along their streets? Okay, the cherry blossoms are beautiful in the spring for the couple of weeks that they are in bloom but otherwise, what purpose do ornamental trees play?

I understand that some housing developments have encroached so far into bear country that there is a problem with attracting bears, but what about in the city where there is no real bear problem?

Why not plant fruit bearing trees in targeted areas? For example, in the picture to the right there are ornamental trees planted alongside an elementary school in Burnaby. Why not plant apple trees along the street in the picture?

What a perfect place to plant apple trees! The city crews come along and do the trimming of ornamental trees so why could they not do the same for fruit trees? Why not have apple trees along the sides of a school so that the students can learn how to grow food? This could be a perfect living science classroom. Students from the nearby school could be responsible for checking up on the trees so that they develop a sense of ownership of the trees.

If the city were to rethink the trees planted along city streets the residents of the streets along which the fruit trees are planted could also develop a sense “ownership” of the trees; during drought times they could help water the trees and later in the summer or early fall they get to collect the fruit.

Seems to me like an idea that is ripe for the picking. (I couldn’t resist that last line.)