City would like to replace hacked-down maple trees

By David F. Rooney

Cutting down the historic maples in front of the Court House was unavoidable but the Public Works Department nonetheless regrets the fact that it cut them without knowing their history.

“We have a list of rare species and memorial trees,” Public Works Department Operations Manager Darren Komonoski said Monday. “Unfortunately, these trees were not on the list.”

Komonoski was responding to questions from The Current regarding the cutting down of two of the trees last week. The trees had been planted by the local branch of the Women’s Canadian Club in 1917 to commemorate the soldiers who went serve their king and country during the First World War.

He said, too, that they will be replaced and suggested that they could be replaced in a ceremony next spring, perhaps involving the Royal Canadian Legion and the Revelstoke Museum & Archives.

Museum Curator Cathy English said in a post on the original story that she is “now aware that the trees were beyond saving and needed to be removed.”

“The City would be happy to replace the trees and we will look into having a replanting and dedication service next May, on the anniversary of the original planting,” she said.