City replaces fallen oak

City officials, members of La Cañada Valley Beautiful and others gathered Thursday at Lanterman House for the ceremonial planting of an oak tree.

Hopes are that the 10- to 12-foot tree will grow to replace a 60-foot heritage oak that came crashing down onto the property’s parking lot during a rain and wind storm on March 19, city Facilities and Maintenance Superintendent Gonzalo Venegas said.

The fallen oak predated the Lanterman House, built in 1915, by decades, according to Executive Director Melissa Patton.

The tree-planting ceremony starts at 10 a.m. and marks the city’s celebration of Arbor Day.

National Arbor Day takes place the last Friday in April, but on Monday Mayor Dave Spence declared local observance of the occasion this week to coincide with the Lanterman House tree planting.

La Cañada Flintridge has been a member of the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA program for 22 years in recognition of the city’s tree protection and management programs.

Lanterman House is at 4420 Encinas Drive.