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04/27/2019 12:00 AMA young memorial tree, deliberately cut down by a vandal shortly after it was planted, has now been replaced with a new tree on the same spot at Branford Point's Parker Park. The replacement tree was installed with a special Arbor Day ceremony on April 26 marked by town officials and family members of the late David Lubeski of Branford.
The replacement tree, a native Honey Locust, was planted by Branford Public Works and installed at the request of the Parker Park Commission, an advisory group which reports to Branford's Parks and Recreation Department. The public park and beach are town property.
Acting Branford Public Works Director Gary Zilenski said the previous Honey Locust, planted last spring to honor the memory of Lubeski, was cut down by an unknown party almost "immediately" after it was installed. He added he hoped holding a ceremony on April 26, the official date for Abor Day 2019, will help this replacement tree to be better noted by the public as it grows and becomes established at the park.
"We thought that this would be a good time to try planting it again," said Zilenski. "It's a memorial tree. A lot of trees have planted down here in memory of residents, and [memorial] benches installed, too."
Lubeski's brother, Mark, said he was happy to see the tree replaced, especially at a place in Branford that carries great significance for the Lubeski family, which has been in Branford for generations.
"He was an avid fisherman," said Mark of his brother, who passed away in January 2018. "He had his own commercial fishing business for years; and he literally lived down here. He loved to fish on the dock."
David Lubeski published a book about his fishing adventures in Branford, "A Sound Living: One Fisherman's Journey."
After his passing, plans to honor Lubeski with a memorial at the park were supported by contributions made in his honor by friends, family and community members. In addition to installing a tree honoring Lubeski, the commission also accepted the family's gift of a memorial bench, which was installed at the park last year. It sits not many yards away from another memorial bench the family donated in memory of Lubeski's mother, the late Janet Lubeski.
"My mom taught swimming lessons down here at the beach, and was an avid swimmer," said Mark Lubeski. "As a family, we've been here forever. I have pictures of my grandfather on that step, holding my uncles. We always have our family picnics right over there. To raise my three daughters here, and to have them love Branford like I do, it's special."
The brief tree planting ceremony on April 26 was attended by Lubeski together with Zilenski, Branford First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove, Branford Parks and Recreation Director Alex Palluzzi, Branford Town Tree Warden Diana Ross, Branford Inland Wetlands staffer David McCarthy, Branford Public Works employees Sal Delmonico, Tucker Esborn, Chris Mackinnel, Branford Community Forest Commission members Shirley McCarthy and Louise Lamontagne, and Branford Garden Club president Pat Sanders.
Since 2009, Branford has been designated as Tree City, USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation.