Reading's official Christmas tree will now stay where it stands on Penn Square in center city.
City council President Francis Acosta announced in a news conference Monday afternoon the change of plans that will keep what some have called an "ugly" and "atrocious" tree where it is, despite much of it having already been undecorated earlier in the day.
Public works crews worked throughout the morning Monday, removing the lights from the tree in preparation for its relocation to City Park. Plans were to replace it with another tree from a farm in Cumru Township.
The second tree will now take that position in the park, while the original tree remains.
Acosta had been leading the charge to replace the tree since it was put in place at Fifth and Penn streets last week, saying the tree, which was cut down in the city's Egelman Park, was not good enough.
"Everybody's talking about the vision we have for downtown, talking about a more beautiful downtown, The tree doesn't help, and that's why we wanna change it," Acosta told WFMZ's Liz Kilmer last week.
While some said the tree must go, others were passionate about it staying in place, leading to a controversy that drew national media attention in recent days.
Despite plans to remove and relocate the tree, the city still went ahead with decorating it and holding a lighting ceremony Friday night.
Acosta said he encourages anyone who is unhappy with the current tree to come forward and help decorate it.
As part of plans to replace the tree, a fund was set up to collect donations for the city to buy new decorations.
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