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The J.V. Fletcher Library will be hosting a farewell ceremony for the beloved Champion Black Oak tree on Monday, Sept. 23 at 6:30 p.m. The tree will be removed due to safety concerns. The ceremony is open to all ages. There will be story time for children, an opportunity to put up the tree’s leaves on the library’s windows, a telling of historical events, and fall-themed goodies to eat.
The tree has been deemed unsafe by an arborist who used an ultrasound device to determine that 55 inches of the 79-inch diameter of the trunk is hollow. Library Director Ellen Rainville is urging the community to come out on Monday and mourn the loss of the tree collectively.
“It’s hard because it’s such a magnificent tree, but it could damage historic buildings and it could fall across the street,” Rainville said. “It’s a dense wood (carrying) a great deal of weight.”
A date for removing the tree is not yet set, but Rainville encourages the town to come together to celebrate its life. For more information, residents can visit westfordlibrary.org.
