Dozens protest removal of decades-old sequoia tree from Centennial Square

Last year, the City of Victoria began considering what a revitalization of Centennial Square may look like, and how it could best serve the city’s residents.

The most controversial part of this plan was the City’s intention to remove the decades old sequoia tree that has been an integral part of the square for years. 

According to City staff, the main reason for the sequoia’s proposed removal is that its roots could damage underground utility  infrastructure if it remains. 

Additional reasons for the removal of the tree are that the tree blocks an important sightline to Douglas Street, making the square feel unsafe to walk through alone, and if the tree remains, the area will not be able to be regraded to remove the stairs which will impact the square’s accessibility. 

The City also noted that the tree was not part of the square’s original design, but rather planted sometime afterwards. 

Fast forward nearly a year, on Thursday, June 12th at noon, there was a protest beside City Hall to convince city council to keep the tree. 

The protest was put on by a local group called the Raging Grannies, with many attendees from the public who support the cause to save the sequoia.  

Though the sequoia is the focal point, the Raging Grannies are also concerned about other aspects of the square revitalization plan—including moving the fountain that currently dons the centre of the square.

“Some think it is risky to move the historical fountain and it might break,” wrote Carol Greenwood, organizer of a petition to save the sequoia.  

“Many people want to save the square as it is and save all that money and save the trees.” 

Greenwood adds that she doesn’t think the square is a suitable place to put a kid’s spray park, which is just one aspect of the revitalization plan.  She believes that parents would rather take their kids elsewhere.

With the entire Centennial Square revitalization projected to cost $11.4 million, Greenwood would rather see that money be used elsewhere and uphold the status quo of the current square.

“The brick surface of the square is great to dance on,” said Greenwood.  

“The current square functions as an incredible place for festivals as it is and people love using it already.”

As of this publication, there are three petitions that have been launched with the goal of saving the sequoia, preserving the fountain and/or halting the revitalization project as a whole. 

The three petitions are: ‘Save Victoria’s Centennial Square as a place for festivals and save the sequoia,’ ‘Save the Mighty Sequoia Tree at Centennial Square, Victoria BC from Wrongful Demotion’ and ‘Preserve the Centennial Fountain in Centennial Square Victoria.’

The three petitions have 8,943 combined signatures. 

Despite the pushback on the project, city council has already approved the Centennial Square revitalization project, which is currently in the planning stage.