The circle is round. Today, students from De Sleutelbloem replanted the cuttings of an old Beverwijk elm in the city. A memorable moment, because the felling of the hundred-year-old tree caused a stir among Beverwijk residents in 2015.
The characteristic tree stood at the intersection of Halve Maan and Velserweg and decorated the entrance to the city. A large part of the Beverwijkers could not understand that the tree had to make way. It would make the intersection safer, according to the municipality. The sadness was so deep that it sparked a fierce discussion about the quality of city government.
Ton Zuidervaart, tree manager, came up with the idea of having the elm cuttings in Groningen. More than nine years later, the descendants of this tree have been replanted today by the children of De Sleutelbloem primary school
The descendants of this historical giant are spread throughout Beverwijk. Every neighborhood gets a tree. “Every part of Beverwijk will soon have a piece of the elm,” says Ton.