‘Building and keeping’
Dear Editor:
On behalf of everyone at the Blue Door Community, our thanks to the Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce for recognizing our stewardship of the 2025 Tree of the Year at last week’s awards banquet.
Being in a room full of fellow builders (entrepreneurs, employers and community groups) reminded me that thriving communities are not just reflected in what we build. They are also defined by what we choose to keep.
Our Manitoba maple almost didn’t survive 2022 construction. The easy solution would have been removal. The better path required creativity, collaboration and a willingness to ask: “How do we upgrade the street and preserve this tree?” The curved sidewalk outside our home exists because our family and the township had the courage to hold both at the same time.
The good folks at Tree Trust help our community see what many business owners already know: sustainability does not limit growth. Organizations that thrive long-term understand they are part of a larger ecosystem, and when they invest in things that sustain a community (like trees), they are investing in what allows everyone to succeed.
This award, celebrating the tree that sits in our front yard, belongs to everyone in Centre Wellington. It is a reminder that building and keeping are not opposing forces. They are equally important to a resilient community.
Thank you to Tree Trust for creating this award and to the chamber for making space to honour what our community builds and keeps.
Curt Hammond,
The Blue Door Community, Elora