Historic elm tree faces axe for Centre Block renovations

By Giacomo Panico, CBC News Ottawa, February 7, 2019

It has witnessed decades of Canada Day celebrations and cabinet shuffles and even survived the devastating Dutch elm disease, but the major renovation of Centre Block will likely mean the demise of a historic elm tree on Parliament Hill.

Though no one can be sure of its exact age, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) estimates the tree is about 100 years old, during which time it has grown as high as the offices on the fifth storey of Centre Block, from its base next to a statue of Canada's first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald.

"It frames almost any shot of Centre Block. It's part of the picture, it's part of the scene, it's part of our heritage," said Paul Johanis, chair of the Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/100-year-old-elm-tree-parliament-hill-to-get-axe-1.5006558

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