City — a couple centuries old — in search of an evergreen for the holidays. Type of evergreen is unimportant. Not picky. Height, however, does matter: must be at least 40-feet tall. Local preferred.
That’s the gist of the call sent out by the City of Pittsburgh on Monday, as the Department of Public Works begins the search for the 108th Christmas tree to adorn the City-County Building this holiday season.
“August means the start of holiday planning for the Forestry Division,” said Lisa Ceoffe, city forester with the Department of Public Works, in a press release. “We are beginning our search for the perfect tree for the City-County Building this year and are already excited to celebrate the holiday season with Pittsburgh.”
Each year, the City of Pittsburgh erects a donated tree Downtown in front of the county’s government center; the tree last year — a 40-foot-tall blue spruce — was a gift from Guardian Angels Catholic Parish of Natrona Heights, Springdale Campus.
Whichever evergreen is chosen this year — be it spruce, fir or pine — will be escorted from its current location in mid-November to its new Downtown home before Light Up Night on Nov. 18.
The Christmas tree tradition is one of the city’s oldest. A tree first graced the site of the City-County Building in 1914 — as construction of the county seat got underway.
Those interested in donating a tree can contact 311 or reach out to the Department of Public Works Forestry Division directly.
