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| 1930's when the circus was in town |
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| Most families have an old picture like this |
The Hollow Tree in Stanley Park is arguably the most famous tourist attraction in Vancouver for over the last 100 years. The Hollow Tree is very old, about 600-800 years old Western Red Cedar tree that died, but left a huge hollow stump. The stump has a circumference of about 60 feet with a huge hollow center. Since people have had cameras, they have taken photos of themselves inside the Hollow Tree. People have had cars, horse-drawn carriages, elephants, and obviously people inside the hollow tree for photos. Stanley Park drive originally was slated to go right through where the Hollow Tree stood, but after much objection, especially from the photographers who worked at the tree, the road was diverted.
In 2006, there was a huge windstorm that caused major damage to the trees in Stanley Park. The Hollow Tree was damaged and was leaning at a dangerous angle. The Vancouver Parks board considered dropping the tree and letting it rot. There was a big public outcry and finally the tree was saved by building a inner metal frame to hold up the tree safely. The tree is now standing straight and open for people to take photos in.
