By Staff
October 2, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The city has managed to get a lot of mileage out of the wood salvaged from two trees they said had to be cut down – they had lived 70 years and that was enough.
The wood salvaged from the trees has become iconic and is being made available to people who the city thinks will do something useful with the planks.
There are 15 planks, no detail on the length, width or thickness that will be given to whoever wins a draw to take place October 10th at city hall
The trees and the setting. The Trees and the Gazebo are no longer part of the scene in Spencer Smith Park.
There were 469 applications from people interested in making furniture or art from the wood 15 wood salvaged from those two iconic weeping willow trees removed from Spencer Smith Park.
The 70-year-old trees near the gazebo at the waterfront park at Lakeshore and Brant streets were removed in June 2016 after City of Burlington arborists found significant rotting and areas of decay in the trees. The trees were originally transplanted by park founder Spencer Smith in the 1950s.
The city is making use of the Spencer Smith willow tree wood through:
• Wood boards finished by local companies Arborwood Tree Service Inc. and Exotic Woods
• Wood chunks and 100 tree cuttings distributed in June
• A tribute planned for Spencer Smith Park at a later date.
Willow tree trunks being trimmed and turned into planks.
Due to the overwhelming interest in the wood boards, eligible applicants—those who demonstrate a skill in woodworking or who have hired a skilled woodworker—will be entered into a draw on Oct. 10. Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward will draw the winning names.
The community, including all willow wood applicants, is invited to watch the draw take place on Tuesday, October 10th at 5:45 p.m. in the Atrium of City Hall, 426 Brant St.
Those who cannot attend can see the video on the city’s Facebook and Twitter accounts. Winners do not have to be present when their names are drawn.
