'It's a unique opportunity': Historian seeks makeover for century-old downtown tree

Holowach Tree The Edmonton Historical Board is looking to preserve the 100-year-old tree. CTV News Edmonton's Joey Slattery reports.

A local historian is working to celebrate a branch of nearly century-old local history he says is being overlooked.

Dan Rose with the Edmonton Historical Board is seeking to preserve the Holowach Tree, a chestnut tree that stands surrounded by a low iron fence south of Jasper near 106 Street.

"I was just musing how funny it would be to throw this 100-year-old tree a birthday party and maybe spruce up this little park here and people have really taken to the idea with a lot of excitement and a lot of enthusiasm," said Rose.

Rose says the tree was planted there in 1920 by Sam Holowach, a local Ukrainian entrepreneur who worked in Edmonton as a clothier, tailor and dry cleaner.

His two sons also left their mark on the province. Walter Holowach brought the seed for the tree back from Vienna where he had been studying violin before going on to be a concertmaster with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.

His other son Ambrose served as a Member of Parliament between 1953 and 1958 and then as a Member of Legislative Assembly between 1959 and 1971, becoming Alberta's first cabinet minister of Ukrainian origin.

Rose says that history is worth preserving.

"It's a unique opportunity to throw a little party and get citizens engaged in our history and maybe have a conversation about our public places and preserving out historic resources."

The property owners tell CTV News they hope Rose's campaign will lead to public donations to improve the area around one of the city's historic secrets.