That was after the city had been invaded by the Dutch elm disease.
"I won't do any more Dutch elm disease work."
In 2001, the town was noted as having trees affected by Dutch Elm Disease.
In laboratory tests, the organism indicated an ability to kill the fungus that causes the Dutch elm disease.
The tree succumbed to the Dutch Elm disease of the 1960s, although valiant efforts were made to save it.
The 1970s saw the loss of many of the trees in the park to Dutch Elm Disease.
By the 20th century it had become well-wooded with many large trees, but most of them were lost to Dutch Elm Disease in the 1970s.
It was cut down in March 2009 after death from Dutch Elm Disease.
"The tree died of elm disease," Des Kenny said, "but this part was clear."
Efforts to eradicate the chestnut blight and elm disease have mostly proven futile.