A significant facelift for Swift Current's flag court continued yesterday with a commemorative tree planting event.

As part of Canada 150 celebrations, Tree Canada is travelling across the country to 150 communities to commemorate the special anniversary by helping plant trees.

Joining the City members planting trees were members from Tree Canada and also First Nations Rep Elder Noel Starblanket who performed a smudging ceremony on the freshly-planted trees.

"He sprinkled tobacco to go along with the smudge with sweetgrass," Swift Current Mayor Denis Perrault said. "His explanation for it is it's like a form of medicine that he's putting back in our trees and he's wishing our trees that we planted here today that they will have a chance to move forward."

Swift Current was awarded $5,000 as a successful recipient of a Canada 150 grant.

The three trees planted during the ceremony include autumn blaze maple, paper birch, and aspen.

Starblanket planted the aspen tree and says the tree plays a major roll in the highest ceremonial prayer.

He also said when they cut down an aspen tree before chopping it down they perform a thank you to the tree.