by Matt Marquardt –
I hope the MCPD is watching.
Just today artists from around the region came to Mason City to personally help install their sculptures on limestone pedestals in the cultural crescent in the downtown area.
I talked with a few of them; really good people. I believe the artists paid for all the materials used in their sculptures.
I’m all for the project, minus using public money, but that’s been covered.
Now that they are here, I hope they are not messed with and treated respectfully.
It has been said that security cameras will be installed later to keep watch.
Unfortunately, I came back downtown this afternoon, and people were already messing with the sculptures.
One man put his coffee mug on the “Gone Fishing” sculpture. Was he trying to harm the sculpture, I don’t really think so, but I fear this is the tip of the iceberg.
Then, about two minutes later, I saw a group of young men making odd gestures and climbing on the “bottoms up” sculpture, standing on the pedestal groping it.
In a few hours, the drinking will begin downtown.
I hope the MCPD is watching.
Matt, thanks for writing a nice article about the sculptures. I also do not agree with how the money was spent, but now that we have them, I hope they are respected and are not vandalized. I do wonder why this project was undertaken when repair work was needed on the Meredith Willson sculpture. It may be such a thing they need to investigate moving that inside Music Man Square or encasing it in something that is vandal-proof. I get so damned tired of destructive people. Meredith Willson’s sculpture should be a showcase of this community yet it sits there damaged. What a city.
Don’t worry about late night artist and birds decoration the statures. I am sure Ms Roben (rob em) will be there with her pail of sudsy water and a tooth brush. Or did the city hire a special statue attendent? Whoopi, another job created.
I hardly think setting a coffee cup on an outdoor statue is vandalism.
Get real, these are outdoor pieces. The pigeons will poop on them, street grime will cover them, kids will climb on them, folks will imagine vulgar things about them.
Set sculpture on the street and it’s instantly interactive.
None of that is vandalism at all.
I haven’t seen the sculptures yet but I plan to do that tonight. I honestly think they will add a touch of class to our downtown area. I do hope they’re not vandalized but if that happens and the perpetrators are caught they had better receive more punishment than a slap on the wrist. We need to send a strong message!
A TOUCH OF CLASS? Are you kidding me. A touch of class would be just to have this infested shithole of a city go back to the day of being secure. AND is the plaza not lit up at night. If not…I do believe thinking of: crap thats gonna happen cause this is MSCY; part of the strategic planning when the big initial walk thru was done shoulda thought of the what ifs’. Maybe a few spot lights on. Who was the MAIN bus driver in this ill thought out plan. Karma starting to set in.
This has got to be a joke?
Who in their right mind thinks these amateur efforts can be called statutes. If the city wanted statutes it should have started with Hanford MacNider, one of the most decorated war heros of the first and second World Wars.
Yeah, these sculptures will be huge targets for vandals.
Like it or not, we’ve spent the money and now are getting the statues. I hope they are respected, enjoyed and NOT vandalised. I remember the Meredith Wilson statue was damaged shortly after it was placed and it has never been repaired, due to the cost. Also, I noticed city employees and their time was used to install the statues today.