A severe thunderstorm 2 weeks ago took down one of Souris' beloved iconic monuments, the Old Oak Tree that shades the walkway through Victoria Park.  The June 20th storm brought heavy winds playing a part in the splitting of the tree, believed to be over 600 years old.

According to the Souris-Glenwood website, 'it’s estimated that the tree has been left unfettered since 1497 A.D., which pre-dates all recorded history in North America.'

What to do with the remaining tree stump has yet to be determined, says Souris-Glenwood Mayor Duane Davison.

"I think part of it came down last year in a big storm, and now the rest of it came down two weeks ago in another big wind, and I'm afraid that's now the end of it," explains Davison.  "It's a big chunk of wood so it's going to take a lot to clean it up.  What we're going to do with the stump I'm not sure.  There are all kinds of speculation as to what to do with the stump, so I guess we'll have to make a decision going forward."  

"We could leave it as it's not hurting anything, or we could make a bench out of it, but we'll see."

In its grandest state, the tree measured 52.49 feet tall, had a diameter of 31 inches, and boasted an average crown leaf spread of just over 26 feet.  In October of 2015, the tree was designated as a Manitoba Heritage Tree. 

A team from the University of Winnipeg has requested to visit Souris' Victoria Park to count the rings of the Old Oak Tree to confirm exactly how old it really is.