City looking for artists to transform Regina's oldest tree into art

The City of Regina has big plans for one of its oldest trees that was cut down last year.

A portion of the 123-year-old American Elm that was taken down in Victoria Park now resides in a city facility.

The city wants to commemorate the tree, which has seen so much of Regina’s history unfold beneath its branches.

The elm is visible in old photographs of the construction of the Hotel Saskatchewan.

Artists have been invited to come and have a look at the tree – to see what ideas they may have to transform the piece of wood into a piece of art.

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According to Ashley Thompson, the coordinator of forestry, pests and horticulture with the city, one artist will be selected, and receive a budget of $15,000 for the project which will include moving the tree and finding a place to work on it.

“A lot of people cannot believe how big this piece is, it is a very large piece,” Thompson told CTV News.

“It's [going to] be quite the undertaking, a lot of logistics will go into it. How to haul it out of here. How to find a space to work on it. A lot of people are just trying to wrap their head around how big of a project it is."

One interested artist, Stephanie Bellefleaur, says the piece of American Elm represents an opportunity to make a lasting mark on the city’s landscape.

"I think it's really exciting we have accessibility to a piece of nature that could potentially become a public art piece and also pieces of this tree going back to Indigenous people, and maybe elders that could use it in ceremony."

The art project will be revealed next April on Arbour Day. It will then be put on display in a public building or park.

--With files from Gareth Dillistone.