Canada Tree taking root in Montague
STEVE SHARRATT
The Guardian
MONTAGUE — The Canada Tree has found a permanent home in eastern P.E.I.’s largest town.
But now the work begins as officials attempt to design a structure that will house and protect the 35-foot structure and find the funding to pay for it.
“We feel this is where the Canada Tree belongs and we felt Tyler would like it here on the Montague waterfront,” said Linda Aspin, mother of the late Tyler Aspin who designed the impressive Canada Tree as a millennium project that toured the nation.
The Tree was taken out of storage and raised on the waterfront here as a special display during the Canada Games.
“It’s getting to be an older Tree and the more it gets moved, the more fragile it becomes,” said Aspin.
“Our next adventure is to build a Tree House so the Canada Tree can be something for all to see.”
Town officials were delighted with the confirmation made at a news conference Tuesday morning when the Aspin family gathered to make the commitment.
The next step is to construct a permanent home that will protect the Canada Tree that will come down in the next few days and
be stored away until a protective structure is completed.
“We are talking with some designers and it won’t be an ordinary building,” said Coun. Janice Taylor.
“We’d like to carry on Tyler’s vision and build a structure comprising of different pieces of wood and materials from all parts of the country.”
Taylor said the Tree House could also be large enough to include a small area that would act as an interpretive centre and enable small gatherings for music and the arts.
“I think this Tree is bringing a real sense of community to this town,” said Taylor.
It’s certainly bringing in the visitors. Since being erected three weeks ago, an estimated 5,000 people have visited the site and Deputy Mayor David Mabon says the spinoff is wonderful.
“People are shopping here and eating in our restaurants,” he said. “It’s just wonderful to have our own attraction and one with such significance as well.”
Tyler attended Montague Regional High School and was a member of a P.E.I. Canada Games team.
He was 31 when he died in 2001 after completing the Tree.
The Aspin family, with son Jason and daughter Meigan, chose to make the announcement on the day the late artist would have turned 40.
