Deep rooted La Conner donor gives Town Christmas tree

For the second year in a row, the Town of La Conner has received an early Christmas present from a local resident.

A large present, at that.

The blue spruce installed last Wednesday at Gilkey Square as the community Christmas tree was donated by Kirby Johnson. The Town Public Works Department cut it from Johnson’s La Conner Realty & Investment Co. property on Morris Street.

A year ago, the community Christmas tree here was provided by Pat Smyth, a member of the Public Works staff.

Johnson is a La Conner High alum, long active in local business, farm, and civic projects.

“It seems like somebody is always stepping up to the plate, helping the town out, and Kirby is the latest to do that,” said Town Administrator Scott Thomas, among local officials grateful for Johnson’s timely donation.

The tree nearly matched the height of the La Conner Realty & Investment building, upon which it was encroaching and thus had to be removed, said Town Planner Marianne Manville-Ailles and Public Works Director Brian Lease.

They said the blue spruce was a landscape tree and not native to the area, making its removal from what is part of La Conner’s Historic Preservation District a non-issue.

“We went through the process,” Lease said. “We verified the species, went through the tree ordinance and worked with the Town Planner.”

Town staffer Manuel Pena and volunteers decorated the tree last Wednesday and Thursday for a virtual lighting ceremony that was shown on-line Saturday evening. A traditional live tree lighting event had to be nixed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Still, having a lighted, highly visible decorated Christmas tree at Gilkey Square brightens a holiday season dimmed by the virus crisis.

“It looks really good there,” Manville-Ailles said of the tree’s downtown location.

“It’s great for the community,” added Mayor Ramon Hayes. “We’re always thankful for those who step up and donate on behalf of our community.”