Crews put up huge Christmas tree in Uptown Waterloo

On a foggy Wednesday morning, fit for Rudolf and his bright nose, elves were busy setting up the City of Waterloo’s 2024 Christmas tree.

The blue spruce had outgrown its home on Buckingham Boulevard and it was generously donated to the city to brighten Waterloo Town Square for the holidays.

“It’s kind of reached the growing limits of its house, just being so close,” explained Derek Brick, Waterloo’s forestry manager. “We’re able to benefit and reuse it in the Uptown.”

Workers remove a blue spruce from a home on Buckingham Boulevard in Waterloo on Nov. 20, 2024. (Ashley Bacon/CTV News)

It’s a bittersweet ending for Rob Hofkamp and his family, who put the spruce on their property when they first built their home.

“This tree was planted when we moved in, in 1998, and we used to decorate it with our kids,” he told CTV News. “It’s a little too large for us to decorate, so we thought it’d be a good time to plant a new one and it’s a great opportunity to send it to the city center.”

Rob Hofkamp and his grandsons, Noah and Nicholas, on Nov. 20, 2024. (Ashley Bacon/CTV News)

The donation is part of an annual tradition, where residents volunteer their tree to the city.

“We normally have five or six people that come to us and we go through [the offers],” Brick explained. “We look for what we think is the best tree for Uptown. We [then] come and pick up the tree and take it downtown.”

Workers install a blue spruce in Waterloo Town Square on Nov. 20, 2024. (Ashley Bacon/CTV News)

At around 40 feet tall, the spruce is a ‘larger-than-life’ addition to Waterloo Town Square.

“This is a big tree,” Brick admitted. “The crane operator said it’s the biggest he’s had.”

Decorating will begin as soon as possible, depending on the weather.

“The Uptown is really starting to look and have that Christmas feel. This tree is one piece of that,” Brick added.

Hofkamp’s grandson, Nicholas, said he’s looking forward to seeing the family tree all decked out for the holidays, especially with “all the lights and [a] star on the top.”

According to the Waterloo BIA, the city’s tree lighting ceremony will take place on Dec. 6, marking the official start of the festive season.