This year, the massive tree in Mary Puzone’s front yard in Northford was finally tall enough to be taken down and crews brought it to New Haven to set it up in the Green for the city's holiday tree.
“It was always a monstrosity to me,” Puzone said, “And I didn’t want it.”
With each branch tied down tight, crews transported the Norway Spruce from Northford to downtown New Haven on Monday.
“Her yard is going to be an entirely different place and our Green is going to be beautiful,” Christy Hass, deputy director of New Haven’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Trees, said.
After crews sawed the 60-foot tree at its base, a crane suspended it in the air before crews take on the challenging task of safely lowering and securing it to a flatbed.
Once the tree was balanced and secured, police escorted a motorcade of the flatbed and the crane and the tree trimming crew drove south on Interstate 91 to deliver it to the New Haven Green.
“Nothing more fun than going down the road and you feel like you’re in a parade as you take this wonderful tree down to be the centerpiece for the whole holiday season for the City of New Haven,” Hass said.
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“This one actually transported pretty well, as far as the height and the width,” Jon Cassarino, the crane operator from JC Services in Rocky Hill, said.
If any of the branches broke, Hass said it will not be a problem.
“These guys are magicians at tying and wiring them back in,” he said.
By early afternoon, the Christmas tree was mounted in the Green, where it will be decorated with 30,000 bulbs.
NBC Connecticut is the media sponsor for the New Haven Holiday Tree Lightning, which will be broadcast live on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m.
