Massive tree falls in Beacon Hill Park
A massive tree has fallen in Victoria’s Beacon Hill Park, requiring a large cleanup effort by city staff.
Parks department crews were on hand early Monday morning cutting the 18-metre Cottonwood into one to 1.5-metre sections.
They could be seen cleaning up loose branches from the fallen tree that had also fallen to the ground.
The fallen tree is seen cut into sections. May 15, 2023 (CTV News)
The city believes the tree came down on Sunday after the combined lean and the weight of the tree caused the root system to fail.
In an emailed statement to CTV News, the city says "in 2021, we assessed the tree and pruned to reduce end weight and manage the weight [and] canopy."
The tree fell in a wooded area of the park on the east side of Douglas Street, about 70 metres south of the entrance to Beacon Hill Park’s Circle Drive.
City staff say the fallen tree was one of two cottonwoods that were growing against one another with a shared root system.
Because the fallen tree was smaller than the existing older and much larger tree, it developed a pronounced lean as it grew over time.
"The weight of the leaning tree eventually reached the point where it overcame the structural strength of the tree and unfortunately the tree failed," said the city in a statement.
"There was no decay [or rot] noted."
Parks staff working on the clean up told CTV News that all loose material has been removed from the site. The section of the park where the tree fell will remain behind yellow caution tape and closed to park users until the area is cleared.
Crews are expected to return to the area with heavy equipment on Tuesday to remove the remaining large sections of tree. Once the area is cleared it will be reopened for park use.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Federal government bans watercraft from Manitoba lake popular with tourists
The threat of zebra mussels has prompted the federal government to temporarily ban watercraft from a Manitoba lake popular with tourists.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.