It’s time, almost, for Tacoma’s official Christmas tree to go live.
Tacoma Public Works Director Dick McKinley met with City Council members on Nov. 1 and proposed planting a living tree this year instead of cutting a tree, as usual, to put up between the Pantages and Rialto theaters.
It’s a great idea, especially for a city campaigning to increase the size of its tree canopy.
The timing, however, was terrible.
Tacoma’s Christmas tree is more than a public works policy. It is a symbol of honor and cooperation. For 65 years, the tree has brought together merchants, city workers, politicians, the military and Santa. It is a seasonal tradition, from the cutting to the lighting.
Since the end of World War II, the tree has been a gift from the Army. The Joint Base Lewis-McChord forester identifies four or five perfect specimens, then invites Tacoma’s urban forester to make the final pick, with help from downtown merchant Phyllis Harrison. She and husband Steph Farber own The Art Stop and LeRoy Jewelers on Broadway.
Every November, the Army invites tree-related civilians to lunch. They pile into a school bus and bounce into the wilds of the sprawling military base.
Soldiers cut and load the tree, usually about 50 feet tall. Tacoma Power crews suck the mud out of the pit next to the Bing Crosby Memorial Christmas Tree plaque on Broadway. They set up the tree in the pit and install the power, lights and decorations.
The official lighting draws hundreds, sometimes thousands, to visit the Pantages Theater and, the merchants hope, get a drop on holiday shopping.
But the fun has grown expensive. Tacoma Power has to charge the city for its crew’s time. That alone cost around $10,000 last year.
There are other costs, McKinley said, that bring the total toward $20,000. The money doesn’t have its own line item in the budget, he said. It has to be scrounged, and that’s getting harder all the time.
It would be better, McKinley said, to make changes in the plaza that would allow a live tree to grow into a healthy, sustainable asset all year long.
A hemlock would be perfect, he said. The city has $3,000 set aside to buy a 22-footer – as tall as a tree can be if it is to grow strong and true to its full height of about 50 feet.
The tree, site design, digging a new hole, installing power and drainage could cost about $20,000.
“It’s probably that much this year,” McKinley said. “But it’s not that much year after year after year.”
McKinley’s plan is a money-wise way to maintain a community tradition. But it would be a shame to discount the community in implementing it.
Some merchants, including Harrison, have heard about the project but have had no official contact. They have experience and ideas, Harrison said, and would like to be included.
City Council members Marty Campbell and Joe Lonergan asked about the Army’s response and learned it had not been contacted.
“I think telling them instead of asking would be a mistake,” Lonergan said.
Mayor Marilyn Strickland agreed. Directly after the meeting, she phoned the base commander but has not heard back.
Lonergan went on the tree hunt last year and found it a rare opportunity to visit the base and have substantial conversations with soldiers. On the bus ride, he talked about sustainability with the brass. They came up with a plan: On their holiday visit, city folks would plant a tree or two to replace the cut one.
On Friday, councilman David Boe walked the plaza, thinking about where a hemlock might grow. It’s a tight space with lots of room for mistakes.
“We’ve got to find the right spot, so it works for the people on the street, the Pantages and circulation,” he said.
One person can’t see all those angles, said Harrison, who wants the living tree done right.
The city would do well to get all involved into one room to discuss it, she said. The plan needs more input, more time.
The mayor agreed.
This year, probably for the last time, a tree cut at Lewis-McChord will be set next to Broadway’s Bing Crosby Memorial Christmas Tree plaque.
Kathleen Merryman: 253-597-8677 kathleen.merryman@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/street
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.