On the one year anniversary of her death Friday, the city of St. Thomas dedicated a freshly planted English Oak Tree to Queen Elizabeth II.
Rooted on the site of the recently opened Westlake-Evans Park next to the St. Thomas Public Library, the tree will add to the site’s beauty, uniqueness and existing history.
In a special ceremony Friday morning, Mayor Joe Preston noted it’s amazing to finally see the park being utilized by the community.
Preston is among city staff who had the opportunity to meet with Queen Elizabeth II throughout his political career. He adds how incredible it is to honour a part of our heritage here in St. Thomas.
Former St. Thomas Mayor and current city councilor Steve Peters echoed Preston’s words of admiration towards the Queen, while sharing some of his fondness memories.
Councilor Lori Baldwin-Sands shared some history on Oak Trees, which are said to be a royal symbol. They’re dependable thanks to their long lives and because of this have been used as meeting places for hundreds of years.
Baldwin-Sands notes that this tree too will one day serve as a place to gather and celebrate the legacy of our former Queen.
An oak tree estimated at 225 years old currently sits on the site of Westlake-Evans Park. Unfortunately its health has declined over the past few years and will need to be removed sometime in the future.
This new oak tree looks to build on the land’s history, which was also the former home of the St. Thomas Police Station.
When Queen Elizabeth II passed away last year, myFM spoke with both Mayor Joe Preston and councilor Steve Peters about their interactions over the years.
Those stories can be found by clicking the highlighted text above.
Written by: K. Freeman
