Canada was born as a country on July 1st, 1867. Canada's Centennial was celebrated in 1967. Baie-D'Urfé erected at the end of 1967 a 100 foot high flagpole at Bertold Park. It was as many feet tall as Canada was old in the year of its installation.
It was the tallest wooden flagpole in eastern Canada. A remarkable landmark.
The pole was made from a 463-year old British Columbia fir tree. It was donated by MacMillan Bloedel Ltd., transported by rail to Montreal, and installed by Domtar at the end of 1967 as a 100 foot flagpole. The fir tree grew around the area of Vancouver Island on the West Coast of Canada. The tree was cut into a 115 foot long pole, 7 inches in diameter at the top and 23 inches at the bottom.
This talest and oldest wooden flagpole in Easter Canada, photo: July 2020
Loading of the pole from a CNR railcar to a Domtar truck, Dec. 1967, source: tricentennial book
Unloading of the pole at Bertold park, Dec. 1967, source: tricentennial book
Bertold park, Centennial flagpole, Oct. 2019
Bertold park, Centennial flagpole, Feb. 2020
Bertold park, Centennial flagpole, July 2020
Bertold park, Centennial flagpole, July 2020
Bertold park, Centennial flagpole, Aug. 2020
Bertold park, Centennial flagpole, Oct. 2021
Centennial flagpole and yacht club, aerial view, spring 2021, source: Town of Baie-D'Urfe
The wood was treated prior to installation, but it did not receive any further maintenance or treatment during the next 54 years. Woodpecker holes were detected during the spring of 2022, and the pole was simply cut down on May 20, 2022.
What remains now is a short pole, a stump. Many citizens are still shocked that no attempt was made to repair and preserve this landmark.
The flagpole was destroyed without a consultation of citizens or a vote in council. A short and somewhat ambiguous email was sent out on May 19, 2022 at 1:30pm. There was not even a full day between the email and the destruction of the pole. There was no way to oppose this.
--email-start----------
BERTOLD PARK FLAGPOLE UPDATE
Further to the news we published a few weeks ago about the damaged Bertold Park flagpole, we would like to inform you that the Town will intervene on Friday, May 20 to remove the weakened section of the flagpole.
The Town's contractor will ensure that the damaged section is removed while preserving as much of the pole as possible. Following this intervention, we will be able to take a position on the future of this flagpole in our town.
--email-end----------
On May 20, 2022, a grey and cloudy day, the pole was simply cut below the woodpecker holes. A landmark and a piece of natural heritage that had been standing on this continent long before the first settlers arrived was destroyed.
Woodpecker holes are an indication of deteriorated sections of wood, but there was no need to rush. The wind load on the pole is minimal without the flag at the top. Most of the mechanical load is on the outside, where the wood was still firm. This is why fiberglass or metal poles can be completely hollow. Irrational anxiety is the actual cause for concern. The wood could have been treated and stabilized with appropriate resins and this over 500 years old wooden pole could have lived on in full size.
It's ironic that this happened right at the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. Some citizens see this stump as a new memorial. A reminder of what can happen when a few fearful citizens ask an administration to act swiftly in the name of public safety.
Centenial flagpole, Bertold Park, Jan. 2022
May 2022, a safety fence was installed, the flag was removed
The woodpecker holes in the flagpole, May 19, 2022
A sad and short pole, May 21, 2022
There are two plaques at the bottom of the pole and they read as follows:
IN MEMORY OF
THOMAS ROCHE LEE
HISTORIAN
MAYOR 1957 - 1961
--------
- 1967 -
This flagpole was erected to commemorate
CANADA'S CENTENNIAL YEAR.
It was presented to Baie-D'Urfé by
MACMILLAN BLOEDEL LIMITED
and was treated and transported
from British Columbia
by Domtar Limited.
This plaque was donated by the
BAIE-D'URFÉ CITIZENS ASSOCIATION.
Thomas Lee remained very active in the Citizen's Association after his term as Mayor. He had connections
to Domtar management. Pat (Patrick) Doyle was a former councilor under Mayor Thomas Lee and he was also an executive at MacMillan Bloedel. The plaque to commemorate Thomas Lee was not only installed on this pole because it was right in front of his house, but because of his contributions to the town and his involvement in the project.
The two plaques on the pole
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