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Renton School District groundskeepers work to re-open the street and sidewalk at 11:00 this morning where a large lower limb of a century-old tree fell down overnight.
Renton School District maintenance specialists were at Kennydale Elementary School this morning working to reopen the street and sidewalk after a landmark tree split and lost a large limb. There was no obvious precipitating cause reported for the tree failure (no extreme wind or impact); but the newly-exposed center of the tree appears rotted and hollow.
It was a sad sight, for the workers as well as the onlookers, since this tree has been part of Kennydale Elementary since the beginning of the school. One of the members of the school district staff said that the tree appears in aerial photos dating back to 1930. Kennydale School was first opened near the tree in 1970. As of this writing I’m not sure of the species of this tree. A friend of mine told me he thinks its a Northern Catalpa tree, and that seems likely to me.
Unfortunately, the open wound of the tree revealed a hollow core and significant rot. The tree is now unbalanced, and with the rotten center it is likely that it will have to come out entirely.
Here are some photos from this morning.
In this photo the worker near the tree has lowered a full-length leaf rake deep into the hollow center of the tree. The tines of the rake in his fist are barely visible in the photo.
This is very sad. That giant tree adds so much character to Kennydale. How many thousands of children did that tree watch over in the past century? If only it could talk…
Zero
Fair point. Trees don’t have eyes. Unless you’re in the Mekong Delta in 1973.
Yeah let’s get nam in the convo.
As long as they plant another tree, then this is the way of life. I’ve said it before, but the way Renton is starting to treat tress as a homeowner has made them a liability. Best to remove (and not replace them) now before the laws get more Seattle like.
Oh noes. The old tree came down. Time to cry about it.
You get split in half, segmented by chainsaw, and then carted away without emotion ok?
Just swung by to point out that Fred Meyer now keeps its hard liquor locked up.
We never had to do that before. What changed?
You’re not allowed to notice things.
I’ll just point out that the Fred Myers at 101 Wellsian Way Richland, WA doesn’t have this problem. You can just buy stuff.
Shhh… you’re about to say something uncomfortable.
The sadder thing: There are kids absolutely beating the crap out of each other in Kenneydale, but the district and the media don’t care.
Some of the fights at Dimmit were legendary. My kid went there and frankly I was glad he could take care of himself, but I did feel for other kids that weren’t so lucky.
Hard to fight back against some turbo-puberty giant with streachmarks doing the ground and pound. In fairness, running away was an option for some.
Oh the media should definitely talk about kennydale kids fighting! Whoa the nerve of komo.
Putting tampons in the boys’ bathroom calmed everyone right down.
Some boys get pregnant now. Watch out, Jamie Pedersen.