A dirge of wood chipping could be heard in Lower Gibsons Thursday as a prominent local tree was felled.
The black walnut tree behind Molly's Reach, planted by George Gibson Jr. was listed on the town's heritage inventory and heritage register. It was an iconic backdrop not only to the town but the Beachcombers TV show that made it famous.
The Town of Gibsons notified the public in the spring that the tree would be coming down for safety reasons. The town also said that a notice would be posted on the local government's website before the tree's removal.
No such notice was given to the community – or to the tree's co-owner.
The walnut sat at the lot line between 643 and 647 School Road. John Smith, who owns the property that includes Molly's Reach and Lunitas below it, said he didn't know the tree was coming down Thursday until a guest at a party he was hosting asked what they were going to do with the wood.
"I'm a little miffed, because, it's part of our property," said Smith, but he added that the tree had to come down. "We had an arborist look at it and it was rotten," he said. "If that tree would've come down in a storm, it could've killed whoever was in the restaurant."
"It's been dangerous for years," he said. "I pruned it about eight years ago and the arborist I had then said, 'You know, this tree's on its last legs.'"
In its statement in May, the Town said two certified arborists had recommended that the tree be removed due to its condition, site conditions and the extreme target potential were it to fall. Root damage, extensive rot, and previous topping had compromised the structural integrity of the tree and had resulted in questionable branch attachments. The large trunk was also encroaching on adjacent concrete retaining walls and had outgrown its increasingly dense environment.
It was the owner of the adjoining property, who ultimately took the tree down, said Smith. (Though Smith wouldn't share the name of the owner, Smith did say they are from off-Coast).
It was a shame that the tree had to come down, said Smith. "My grandfather bought George Gibson's original property back in 1926," he said. "That property's been in our family a long time. I grew up with the walnut tree dropping walnuts on the roof of the house, [as] I lived in the attic of my dad's house when I was a kid."
Notice in the spring of the tree coming down was met with a mix of grief and outrage from the community, some demanding more be done to save the tree ("save our walnut tree" signs were posted along the seawalk). Others noted that it was on private property and there were liability concerns.
Owner of Starlet Vintage in Molly's Lane Joanne Jaeger had front row view to the tree coming down. She said Thursday that it was a sad day. "It was a beautiful tree."
– With files from Connie Jordison
