Special to the Sun
Waddie Long, Natural Resources Environmental Technology instructor at Nova Scotia Community College, led the tree cutting on Nov. 12 for the Boston Common’s holiday tree in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.
Hundreds of community members, as well as local officials, along with Mayor Michelle Wu – the first Mayor of Boston to join the annual ceremony – were on hand for the event, which included an Indigenous tree smudging ritual prior to the cutting of the tree. The 45-foot white spruce was planted 40 years ago by the Feener family who dreamed that it would one day be the ‘Tree for Boston.’
Nova Scotia gifts a tree to the City of Boston each year in recognition of the aid Boston sent north after the deadly Halifax Explosion of 1917. Caused by the collision of two wartime ships — one of which was carrying explosives — the blast killed about 2,000 people, wounded 9,000 others, and leveled a large section of the city.
This year’s tree was scheduled to arrive by police escort at Boston Common at approximately 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
Interim Boston Parks and Recreation Commissioner Cathy Baker-Eclipse, Santa Claus, the Boston Park Rangers, and local school children will greet the tree at its final destination near the Boston Visitors Center at 139 Tremont St. The tree will be lit at approximately 7:55 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4, as the City of Boston’s official tree lighting is celebrated on Boston Common from 6 to 8 p.m. The ceremony will be broadcast live on WCVB Channel 5 starting at 7 p.m.
The annual tree lighting on Boston Common is presented by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and title sponsor, The Province of Nova Scotia. The event is supported by presenting sponsor Amazon, signature sponsor Meet Boston, key sponsors Constellation Power and JetBlue, and media sponsors WCVB Channel 5 and The Boston Globe.