The hunt for the replacement Christmas tree by the City of Winter Park is finally over. The City of Winter Park has purchased a 20-foot-tall southern red cedar, which will be used starting this year during the annual tree lighting ceremony in October.
Since October 2017 the Winter Park Urban Forestry Department's Dru Dennison has been looking for a new tree to replace the original one planted in 1989.
For 29 years the City of Winter Park had been using a Christmas tree donated in 1989 to the City by local TV news anchor Bob Opsahl for its annual October tree lighting ceremony. In 2017, due to the tree's weak branches caused by old age and damage from Hurricane Irma the City retired the tree from use.
In the meantime, the City bought an electronic one for $35,000. On October 21, 2017, the City lit up its brand new electronic Christmas tree. It featured bright LED lights and several pre-programmed light shows.
Dennison found the new red cedar sometime after the 2017 tree lighting but the City didn't announce it until January 2018. An official planting was held January 19th for media and locals. The City chose January as the month in which to plant the tree because the cooler months are the best time for a tree to "take." Also January 19th just happened to be Arbor Day.
In a recent City Council meeting, the council discussed locations for placement of the electronic tree. While a location was not agreed upon, the Council did agree the electronic tree will most certainly will be utilized every year.
The City added a framework inside the original tree to hold the lights and ornaments as the limb strength and general tree health declined. To prevent weak limbs in the future, the framework will go up year one, with no branches supporting any ornaments or lights on their own. The tree will feature traditional lighting and decor.
Below are excerpts from emails sent to the City of Winter Park about the electronic tree:
The City added a framework inside the original tree to hold the lights and ornaments as the limb strength and general tree health declined. To prevent weak limbs in the future, the framework will go up year one, with no branches supporting any ornaments or lights on their own. The tree will feature traditional lighting and decor.
Reaction to the electronic tree in 2017 was mixed. City employees spoke with guests at the 2017 tree lighting and received several positive comments. The children liked the light show which made the parents happy. The City said most people who take the time to write the City do so to communicate negative reaction. So, all the emails they received were negative. They're listed below.
The Daily City did a non-scientific survey on our Instagram. Many people enjoyed the light show while some said it didn't fit with the traditional "feel" of downtown Winter Park.
Below are excerpts from emails sent to the City of Winter Park about the electronic tree:
- The new xmas tree with all those high tech lights and colors is in our opinion one ugly eyesore that should rather belong to Las Vegas or Idrive. Hopefully the City Management, the Commissioners and the Mayor will also see that modernization can be done more tastefully and convert the tree in 2018 back to a more traditional tree. Christmas to us is tradition with "O´Tannebaum" and not some light flickering triangle. -Jan B.
- I don't think the new tree fits with the Winter Park traditional small town image. It does not coordinate well with the city's other seasonal decorations. The tree belongs maybe in South Beach Miami. How about offering to sell it to them? -Judy A.
- Please return to a traditional Christmas tree next year....the new one looks more like Las Vegas, not Winter Park! -Julie C.
- I am writing to express my view regarding the new laser light Christmas Tree. It is unfortunate we were not able to have our traditional Christmas tree this year. Although modern, I feel the laser light tree is a bit tacky and gaudy for Winter Park. I hope that you will return the tree or perhaps sell it, and return to a traditional Christmas tree next year. -Kathleen F.
- Please consider returning to a traditional Christmas tree next year. This year’s tree is representative of the entertainment portion of Orlando, but not of Winter Park. Our small city’s greatest asset is charm. Without it we look like any other development. Charm never gets old. The most charming towns in America wisely capitolize on it and preserve it, especially for Christmas. -Mary Margaret V.
- I’ll keep this short. The new Christmas tree does not in any way fit into our “...city of arts and culture, cherishing its traditional scale and charm...”Our understanding was that the tree was temporary, perhaps just this year, until a new live tree was available. Now we find out we paid 30K for the I-Drive/Las Vegas/Times Square tree and it’s to be permanent. We are flabbergasted. The fake tree needs to go! Please sell it and replace it with a live, healthy tree that fits into our city, and especially in our beautiful Central Park. Kick tacky to the curb. -Gary and Sandra B.
- I am writing to tell you that in my opinion the living Christmas tree’s replacement with an electric one, was a miss. A big one. We were there for the lighting. The yearly hush of anticipation followed by gasps of wonder and delight when the lights are lit, did not happen. People were silent and not because they were impressed. They were disappointed and a little shocked. The Christmas tree (if you can call it that) is crass, vulgar and commercial. Our city Christmas tree should be awe-inspiring, lovely, beautiful, graceful and perhaps even elegant in keeping with whom we are as a city. The installed tree would be better suited for International Drive. I know this represents an investment on the city’s part and it may be hard to swallow the loss as we look for something more in keeping with our historic downtown village but I am asking you to do just that. -Pat Robertson
- ... It will take a few years to get a new traditional tree (ours was damaged by Irma) and that we have already invested in this tree. I would like to see us sell it and move on. My colleagues did not agree. I will bring it up again but hearing from the public will let everyone know I am not alone. Carolyn Cooper, City Manager, City of Winter Park
- I am a long time resident in the Orlando-Winter Park area and come to downtown WP at Christmas time to see the decorations What is with the horribly ugly tree in the park? Do you guys lose your sense of CHRISTMAS and the holiday season? I hope you did not pay anything for that stupid excuse of a tree!!! Honestly, very disappointing---makes a mockery out of what is a beautiful time of the year! -Marcella K.
- I have had a number of friends remark about the electronic Christmas tree. I share their concerns that the tree is over-the-top and excessively commercial. Possibly next year we should set aside the same amount of spent on the electronic tree to purchase and permanently enjoy a large pine tree. It is much more in keeping with the traditions of the Avenue during this Season and could be enjoyed for generations. -Linda K.
- Please consider finding another option for a Christmas tree for our beautiful park on Park Avenue. I’m not sure who thought a multicolored blinking tower with a message scrolling around the middle was the look our quaint village needed- but it is horrific. Hopefully it is rented or a company donated for one season and no tax payer funds were used for this. -Clair M.
- After years of loving Central Park at Christmas time, I am writing to tell you that I am very disappointed in the garish display at Park and Morse. The old tree was classic and felt like the holiday season. This new one is not representative of our city – it may be more modern but it reeks of crass commercialism. Plant another pretty tree and deep six the neon! -Jim and Carole M.
- We were shocked when we got to Morse Blvd and saw the lighted device that is now our Christmas (or to be politically correct) Holiday Tree. What an embarrassment! My immediate thought was am I driving down the Las Vegas strip? That "tree" is gaudy and not in keeping with the image of Winter Park. If I were mayor, I would have been ashamed to throw the switch and turn that ugly thing on. How tasteless. My recommendation as a citizen of Winter Park is to turn it off and remove it. Since we don't have a suitable tree now in the park to light up for Christmas, not having a lighted tree is better than what you put up in its place. -Dave D.
- I'm writing to give my opinion on the new Park Avenue Christmas Tree. Friday night was a sad night for our family, this digital tree is not Christmas in winter park or in any hometown event. We felt like we were at a digital light show at a theme park which if we paid for would have been even more disappointing. My son said "Mom this is a sad tree, a pole with digital lights, it looks like they didn't even try to make look like a Christmas tree where the top doesn't light up, why didn't they use the tree next to the ice skating rink instead, even though it's not on the avenue at least it looks like a Christmas tree". I hope you will reconsider next years tree and remove the digital tree, I hate that Winter Park needs to make such drastic changes to something so traditional in our community. -Kassie S.
- I’d like to express my disappointment with the choice of the WP Central Park Christmas tree this year. I understand the WP City staff needed to replace the former damaged tree. However, I believe the digital tree they picked for 2017 falls short of the class and charm of Winter Park. I hope this is a one-year decision and will be replaced by either a traditional tree or even no tree — which would be far better then the I-Drive inspired tree that we saw last night. -Jennifer A.
