From the City of Toronto website
http://www.toronto.ca/parks/maple_leaf_forever.htm
On July 19, 2013 a storm brought down an aged silver maple tree on Laing Street in Toronto’s Leslieville neighbourhood. This famed maple tree was believed to be the inspiration for the song “Maple Leaf Forever” by Alexander Muir, which he wrote in the year of Confederation 1867. His song, like the image of the maple leaf it evokes, has become a powerful symbol for Canadians and Torontonians. The maple leaf is a source of national pride, shown prominently on our national flag, and it is an emblem of local pride for Torontonians – as the symbol of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team.
In 1992, the City of Toronto recognized the national and local importance of this tree, and the Maple Cottage land it lived on, by designating 62 Laing Street as City property, under the Ontario Heritage Act. The City of Toronto has also preserved the legacy of this site and Alexander Muir by creating and maintaining the Maple Leaf Forever park around the Maple Cottage, as well as establishing the Alexander Muir Memorial Gardens in the Yonge Street and Lawrence Avenue area. Currently, in Maple Leaf Forever Park, a 13-year-old offspring of the original maple tree is now growing thanks to the wonderful insight and efforts by Toronto resident Bill Wrigley.
The City of Toronto will continue to preserve the important historic legacy of this maple tree by considering options to craft the salvaged wood into community art and cultural pieces and by distributing portions of fallen limbs to cultural and historic organizations. The trunk that remains at the Maple Cottage will be used creatively as a reminder of its historic presence in that specific location while branches that fell were collected and stored by the City. The future use of this culturally significant wood, it branches and its leaves will soon be determined.
If the public would like to help the City’s efforts to preserve its natural urban legacy at sites like Maple Leaf Forever Park, we would encourage you to make a donation to the Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation.
For further information and questions about this subject please contact Rob McMonagle with Economic Development & Culture at 416-397-7141 or rmcmona@toronto.ca