Elgin’s holiday tree lands in downtown courtyard

Elgin’s holiday tree made a move across town Thursday in preparation for the city’s annual tree-lighting ceremony next week.

The 55-foot Colorado blue spruce was donated by Journey of Hope Church on Elgin’s west side. The tree was removed and trimmed to about 40 feet Thursday morning and installed by crane in DuPage Court in downtown by early afternoon.

The city will host its annual holiday tree-lighting ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 29. Downtown festivities begin at 10 a.m., with the tree lighting at 5 p.m., when Mayor David Kaptain and Santa Claus will switch on the holiday lights. The tree will remain lit through Jan. 12.

City officials say that as part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability, the tree will be repurposed after the holiday season.

Once removed from DuPage Court, it will be cut down to a manageable size and transported by the city’s Land Management and Forestry staff to Lords Park Zoo. There, it will be used as natural enrichment for animals, as a perching structure and for composting to help enrich the soil.