Today is Guelph’s birthday!
It was 183 years ago on this day that John Galt felled the first tree to establish Guelph.
I joined the Rotary Club of Guelph to celebrate the planting of their 20,000th in our city. The Club has committed to helping our community achieve a 40% tree canopy cover. We are currently at about 27%.
The tree was dedicated to Larry “Red Maple” Kelly who recently passed away. Larry had been instrumental in the Rotary Environment Club’s successful tree planting program. It was a fitting tribute.
It was with sadness that Larry was not there to celebrate this milestone. But this was Larry’s legacy to our community. It was his leadership, commitment and friendship that brought everyone together today to dedicate a plaque and a tree in his memory. I had the distinct honour of presenting Larry with a Mayor’s award last year for making a difference in our community.
These tree plantings are a legacy for our children and grandchildren. When we plant a tree today, we do so knowing that we may not be here to enjoy its splendour at maturity.
April 23, 2010
Making a Difference