We are part of The Trust Project.
SUPERIOR — The tree in Center City Park that has long added shimmer to the holiday season will be lit one last time in 2022.
City officials planned a brief ceremony to light up the holidays at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, at Center City Park. There will be remarks by Mayor Jim Paine at 5:30 p.m. followed by the actual lighting of the tree.
Santa’s elves will provide the treats and beverages, and Santa will be stopping by to say hello.
However, even as officials plan the celebration, plans are underway to retire the tree after the holiday season.
“We’re going to plant a new tree,” Paine said. “This tree has pretty much reached the end of its healthy life.”
ADVERTISEMENT
When the tree is taken down after the holiday season, Paine said the tree will be used to create yule logs and Christmas decorations.
The goal is to have the commemorative ornaments available to pass out at next year’s holiday lighting celebration.
“We might use some for fundraisers,” Paine said. “But I want to preserve as much of the tree as possible for folks to take home with them.”
The city’s Urban Forestry Tree Board has discussed giving the ornaments to people who make a donation to the city’s tree fund, used for planting trees in the city.
Paine said a new tree would be planted where the current tree is standing.
“We’ll decorate the small one,” Paine said. “I hope that people will bring their kids to it and their kids can grow up with that tree.”
