Tree of the Week showcases some of the biggest and most beautiful trees in the GTA, as compiled by Megan Ogilvie. Here, Arthur Gron tells us about a towering silver maple tree that has been a meeting place for generations of students at Huron Street Junior Public School in the Annex. We also hear from the school’s principal and a current school family who explain what makes this tree so special.

The large silver maple tree that grows in the schoolyard of Huron Street Junior Public School is affectionately known as the “Big Tree.” It has been the de facto meeting place for generations of schoolchildren.

The Big Tree has a massive trunk that is more than 560 cm (18 feet, 4 inches) in circumference, making it one of the largest in the area. Standing 30 m (98 feet) tall, the tree’s enormous canopy stretches 36 m (118 feet) wide and provides ample shade for students.

Silver maples are so named because of the silvery underside of their leaves. They tend to grow well in damp soil and are therefore sometimes also called water maple or creek maple.

The Annex, which is located between the prehistoric Lake Iroquois shoreline and Lake Ontario, was originally a marshy area that once had many small creeks flowing through it, including Garrison Creek and Taddle Creek. Those who live in the Annex, and especially those with damp basements, will know firsthand that the neighbourhood is an ideal growing environment for silver maples.

The Big Tree is believed to be about 150 years old. In 2013, it received heritage recognition through Forests Ontario’s heritage tree program for its long ties to the community.

The original school, built in 1889, was a grand, three-storey structure with maple-panelled rooms. In 1957, a new building — the present school — was constructed and, one year later, the older Victorian building demolished.

Throughout the many changes in the Annex, the tree has remained. It continues to be a community meeting spot and a lovely place to gather.

Sadly, because many of its roots rest beneath the hard surface of the school playground, the tree is in poor shape. There are scars on its branches and trunk, and cavities are forming in its wood. There are also signs of girdling roots, which means some of its roots have twisted over each other, restricting the flow of water and nutrients into the tree.

Last year, in late spring, the Annex Residents’ Association’s environment committee wanted to collect maple keys from the Big Tree. They hoped to sprout the keys and grow seedlings that could be planted in the neighbourhood as a way to preserve the tree for future generations. But it produced few maple keys last year.

Our environment committee might try again next spring to collect the tree’s maple keys. We think planting its seedlings is a great way to preserve the heritage of the neighbourhood and protect the beautiful tree canopy in the Annex.

The children who attend Huron Street Junior Public School have many stories to tell about the maple. “The Big Tree is a peaceful place … When you’re under the Big Tree you’re not alone, because the Big Tree is your second home,” writes one in a letter about the tree. “I feel good next to the Big Tree,” writes another, “it gives me energy.”

Cheryl Howe, principal of Huron Street Junior Public School

Everything is special about the Big Tree.

As a school community, we recognize that it’s very special to have a tree this big in our schoolyard. It’s a focus for a lot of the environmental work we do, and it’s a wonderful place to play.

Over the years, kids have written stories about why they like the Big Tree. They like to relax on its roots and play hide-and-seek behind its trunk. The students also say the tree is special because so many kids can sit around it, and that it’s the perfect place to talk with a friend.

In the fall, so many leaves fall from the tree. The students love to make leaf forts and have leaf fights by throwing big handfuls of leaves.

In this day and age, when teaching about conservation and environmental issues is critical for today’s youth, it’s so important to have the maple as a focus point in our schoolyard. Every day, the kids see this 150-year-old tree and they learn that, when we take care of our natural environment, it can give back so much to us.

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Meg Gardner, parent whose three children have attended Huron Street Junior Public School

At Huron, we just call it the Big Tree, which is a sincere term of endearment. There’s no mistaking which tree it is because it’s so big. We’re lucky to have it as part of our school, especially as the students are able to watch such a large tree change throughout the year, from having a canopy full of leaves in September to bare branches in January to full of leaf buds in the spring.

Recently, the school created an outdoor classroom at its base, and next year we’re planning to revitalize the schoolyard with the maple having a starring role in the kindergarten area. My son, George, who is in Grade 3, says the Big Tree is “great because it gives us all the shade we need when it’s hot outside.” He likes to sit under it with his friends. It’s a cherished part of our school and community.

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