Nanaimo Landmark Blown Down

Nature's 'Faller' Takes Spar Tree

Visitors to downtown will be missing a popular piece of art that has withstood since being erected in 1985 by forest companies to honor the loggers who pioneered the business that has contributed so much to British Columbia in general and Nanaimo in particular.

The log had rotted at the base and high winds blew the tree down in the early morning hours, which was fortunate as there was no traffic at the time. City crews were called about 4:00 in the morning as the tree was blocking the road. Davey tree crews conducted the clean up later in the day.

You will have to find someone who has lived in Nanaimo or on the coast for a number of years if you want to find out what a 'Spar Tree' was used for. No, a Spar Tree is not another species such as a Douglas Fir Tree.

The rot that took down this piece of art was likely the result of poor design of the base which did not allow the base to dry out properly and likely trapped water around the base. Wood that is kept high and dry, simply does not rot. That is why fence posts rot at ground level and not further up where they get wet, but also have the chance to dry out. Poor maintenance over the years is a likely another culprit.

You would think that something like this tree would have been, being monitored and taken down, or repaired long before it's condition had deteriorated so badly. I hope someone is keeping an eye on some of the other structures around town, like the one on Victoria Cresent very close to the spar tree art piece.