Pittsburgh's 108th Christmas tree transported from Springdale

Dolly Haggerty sat on her front porch swing, raised her red cellphone and documented some holiday history Saturday morning.

The lifelong Springdale resident watched as Pittsburgh Public Works crews, assisted by Carl’s Tree Service, removed a 33-foot blue spruce from the former St. Alphonsus Church.

The tree’s destiny was to become Pittsburgh’s 108th Christmas tree.

Bucket trucks, a large crane and a flatbed trailer were in operation shortly after 7 a.m. only yards away from Haggerty’s home at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and James Street.

“I knew they were coming,” Haggerty said. “I was taking a couple pictures. I wasn’t surprised (a tree was selected from Springdale) this year. Last year I was.”

Pittsburgh’s Christmas tree has been lifted and being prepared for transport from Springdale. pic.twitter.com/nax6F5Mwhr

— Mike D. (@MikeJdiVittorio) November 11, 2023

Last year’s tree, an estimated 40-foot blue spruce donated by Guardian Angels Catholic Parish, also stemmed from the former St. Alphonsus Church campus.

On Saturday, Pittsburgh police escorted the tree on Freeport Road from Springdale to the Hulton Bridge in Harmar and along Allegheny Avenue and Allegheny River Boulevard in Oakmont.

It traveled on the boulevard through Verona and Penn Hills before moving up Washington Boulevard to the Fifth Avenue entrance to the Pittsburgh Regional Transit busway in Pittsburgh and settling at the City-County Building in Downtown.

Crews cut down another tree on the former church’s property Thursday. Officials intend to use branches from that tree to help fill gaps in the main Christmas tree.

Pittsburgh Public Works forester Lisa Ceoffe said the staff begins searching for a Christmas tree in July.

“We really like to stay within the city limits because it’s much easier logistically,” Ceoffe said. “In this instance, because of the construction on (Route) 28, we have to go through about eight police jurisdictions. There’s a lot of logistics and coordination involved in advance.”

City of Pittsburgh Public Works Forester Lisa Ceoffe talking about the new Christmas tree. pic.twitter.com/fh8uVvkFms

— Mike D. (@MikeJdiVittorio) November 11, 2023

The former church’s tree was selected from hundreds of contenders.

“It’s beautifully formed,” Ceoffe said. “It’s a little bit smaller than what we would normally have for the portico. The portico is around 60 feet. This tree is about 33 feet. I think what’s happening is because of climate change and the city’s changing weather with rain and heat, these types of trees aren’t surviving. The search is getting harder and harder to find a good candidate.

“Although it’s sad that a tree is coming down, they don’t really have a long lifespan now. The larger trees aren’t surviving as much. … We did get requests from people from around the city, but they weren’t really great candidates. We just opted to come back here because it went pretty smooth last year.”

Tree removal and transportation took close to three hours.

Ceoffe said it will be decorated with 1,000 lights and 1,000 ornaments as well as a couple of wreaths in preparation for Pittsburgh’s Light Up Night on Nov. 18.

“This is the part that nobody ever sees at Light Up,” she said.

“When they do the countdown and the tree lights, it’s all worth it. We have to work on this at least 90 days in advance setting up the logistics, getting the overtime, working with our police department (for) our police escort.

”We have to do a special events permit just like any other thing that would be happening Downtown. We have to work with (Pittsburgh Regional Transit) for the bus traffic. There’s a lot that goes into it. The tree (cutting) is the easiest part of it. It’s all worth it in the end.”

Tom Babinsack, business manager for Guardian Angels Parish, was there to watch Saturday’s tree removal.

“I’m happy to see it being used,” he said. “There’s still more there if other organizations want one.”

Babinsack said there is a secret to having trees worthy of Light Up Night.

“Plant them early,” he said.

In 2019, a Springdale family donated a 50-foot blue spruce to serve as the city’s official holiday tree.

The first Pittsburgh Christmas tree was displayed in 1914 on the construction site of the City-County Building.