Big tree splits in half

The old horse-chestnut that dominated the center lawn of the Panhandle Park near Cole split in half on Friday afternoon. The falling branch reportedly came close to knocking out a family walking nearby.

Seen from the north, the damage may not look so drastic, but from the side view (below), it's clear that the tree is nearly destroyed. I enjoyed its showy white flowers each spring and hope that it can be saved. 

The big leaves of the tree were interesting to see during their vernation in March.