Toppled silver maple lives on in mementos,
One tree that inspired ‘The Maple Leaf Forever’ will find immortality in hundreds of crafted works
Would you spend $10 on a vial of sawdust?
More than one year after Toronto’s “The Maple Leaf Forever” tree crashed to the ground in a storm, thousands of pieces of the legendary tree are being carved up and spread across Canada.
“(The city’s department of ) forestry, initially, they were just going to dispose of it like a normal tree,” said Rob McMonagle, senior adviser with Toronto’s economic development and culture department. “But there was such a public outcry.”
The Leslieville silver maple — estimated to be about 170 years old — was said to have inspired Canada’s unofficial national anthem, “The Maple Leaf Forever,” written by Alexander Muir in 1867.
After it toppled in a July 2013 storm, the city intervened — gaining stewardship of the tree, preventing it from being turned into mulch and offering up chunks of wood to groups across Canada for public projects (or personal projects, provided they donated money to urban forestry projects).
“The inquiries came right across Canada when the tree came down. I think we’ve logged in close to 1,000 inquiries for people wanting to have pieces of wood,” said McMonagle.
Starting Sunday, some of the more than 4,000 wooden items crafted by GTA artists will be on display in the city hall rotunda.
Everything from working headphones to wig stands for cancer charities to teeny-tiny Christmas tree or- naments will be laid out for Torontonians to see — and maybe even take home.
Not everything is for sale but small mementos, such as a vial of sawdust, will cost around $10.
“I figured if people can take sand from beaches in resorts, then perhaps there’s some value for sawdust,” said McMonagle, adding that proceeds will go to organizations supporting urban forest renewal — Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation and LEAF (Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests).
“This is a real, one-of-a-kind heritage item.”
Parts of the tree have already been shipped off across the country and around the world. A wooden credenza is stationed at the Canadian High Commission in London, a wooden desk is located at the Library of Parliament in Ottawa and an artist in the Yukon is making a guitar for local schools.
Colin Cripps of Blue Rodeo is also involved in a project crafting guitars — one electric and one acoustic — to be loaned out to aspiring Toronto artists.
Around 50 wooden pens are set to be sent to Canadian soldiers around the world through a project called Pens for Canadian Peacekeepers, which was launched by Oakvillebased pen-maker Jim Shaver.
Shaver said the Maple Leaf Forever pens will be a touching memento, as the poem/song is meaningful to Canadians.
“I don’t know anybody who doesn’t get a little choked in the throat listening to it, you know?” said Shaver.
Two items — a podium created by at-risk youth at Dixon Hall Neighbourhood Services and a gavel — were unveiled at city hall Tuesday and will remain as permanent fix- tures in the council chambers.
Other items made from the 3,175 kilograms of wood salvaged from the tree will end up at the Royal Ontario Museum, Ontario Heritage Trust and the Toronto Public Library.
The exhibition runs Feb. 15 — 18 in the city hall rotunda.