Colchester's Christmas tree cut down

COLCHESTER, Conn. (WTNH)--  Before Monday, an 80 foot Norway spruce was the center piece of Colchester's town green and many holiday celebrations, until it had to be cut down after storm damage.

Kim Molcam  used to see the tree outside the window of her salon, Reflections by Kim. 

"The tree will be missed. It's kind of empty out there. You looked out your window and all of a sudden and it's gone. The tree was gone," Molcam said.

In recent years, the tree grew too large to decorate and storm damage weakened it. Town workers took it down leaving folks with fond memories.

"I grew up in Colchester. My grandparents lived on Main Street. The green always had festivals and they used to light up the tree every year," said Molcam.

Nancy Krist from Quality Consignments said "that was here for a long time. We're hoping that they're replacing it and it will still generate people coming in to the town green for the holidays."

Plans are in motion to replace the tree with a new one.  A blue spruce and a tree next to it were planted on the green by Boy Scouts and now it will take center stage for town celebrations.

The original tree was found at the transfer station with the stump and some other pieces cut up. The tree will continue to be part of the town green after it's mulched up.  That mulch will be used to plant a new tree.

"We can get back to the old tradition of actually decorating it and looking, and having it lit on the green again. Would be nice," said Molcam.

A tradition for future generations.