For 100 years, this willow stood majestic on the banks of Zoo Lake, its sweeping branches gently swaying on the water’s surface as the wind blew. It gave shelter to the ducks and geese who call the lake home, allowing them to hide from the pelting rain or blistering summer sun.
It stood merely meters away from the blue plaque stand, a testament to the park’s rich heritage status and historical value. According to witnesses, vagrants took shelter under the willow for a substantial amount of time and were seen making a fire under it, leaving it to burn while they slept through the night.
By the time the sun rose, it was too late to save the magnificent tree, as flames licked from its roots right up to the tips of the branches. Firefighters were summoned to extinguish the fire soon after.
The tree was dead, and many of the trees which have been growing in the park for years and years are set to face the same demise if something drastic isn’t done to enforce bylaws at the historical park.
“It is a sad day for Zoo Lake when heritage trees are being burned down,” said chairperson of the Zoo Lake Users Committee, Fran Haslam. “We have counted 68 trees that have been damaged due to coals and fires lit at the base of these trees,” she said.
Haslam and other members of the committee stood flabbergasted and disgusted as they watched the once magnificent willow reduce to nothing more than smouldering embers.
“Zoo Lake is a flagship and heritage park,” she continued. “Without park wardens, proper enforcement of the bylaws by Metro police, or new, highly visible signs which clearly indicate what the bylaws are, this sad situation will continue. This is no way to preserve our heritage.”
The committee has appealed for City Parks and Metro police to, “take this matter seriously and rectify the situation as a matter of urgency,” on numerous occasions, but alas, it continues unabated.
The pile of wood gathered from the remains of the trees was also left onsite, leaving more wood for the vagrants to ‘dispose’ of.
Both City Parks and Metro police were given a considerable amount of time to give their responses to the issue, but none were forthcoming at the time of going to print.
Details: www.zluc.org
