Q&A: The Meeting Tree has deep roots in London’s Westminster Ponds [Video]

There’s a mighty white oak tree in London’s Westminster Ponds that has been standing for nearly seven centuries.

The Meeting Tree spans three metres in diameter and stands about 10 storeys tall. It’s estimated to be about 677 years old and among its long history, the tree was once a meeting place for former slaves travelling from the United States on the Underground Railroad.

CBC London Morning host Andrew Brown visited the Meeting Tree with ReForest London co-executive director Shaquille Sealy to learn about its local significance.

The following has been edited for length and clarity. 

Andrew Brown: Why is it called the meeting tree?

Shaquille Sealy: It actually has a long history related to the Underground Railroad. When slaves were escaping slavery out of America and travelling through the Underground Railroad up north, the Meeting Tree here in London was one of the locations in which they met to find safety. Canada was definitely a more safe place for them to come. London is a location with …