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Despite the controversy of the selection of the Arc of History for a key intersection in town, response has mainly been playful \u2013 from a Jurassic Arc dinosaur head to a Chinese New Year dragon head, mini-Styrofoam Arcs, a nest of Arc eggs and even a bridal veil honoring June brides.<\/p>\n
But now someone has gone further, actually destroying the piece.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt makes me feel sick to my stomach that someone would destroy city property like this,\u201d said Sherri Dugdale, assistant to the city manager. \u201cDressing it up in heads and outfits is one thing, but this \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
When the destruction occurred is still being determined.<\/p>\n
\u201cCrews pulling weeds in the area (Tuesday) morning noticed it but didn\u2019t really know what they were seeing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The Durango Police Department responded to a report from a passing driver about 7 a.m. Wednesday, according to Lt. Ray Shupe. Police found multiple rocks on both of the Arc\u2019s arms were broken, chipped and destroyed, possibly with a rock pick or pick ax. The city estimates the sculpture, valued at the purchase price of $28,000, is a total loss.<\/p>\n
The Arc of History was selected by the Durango Public Art Commission after community input. It was installed at the new continuous-flow intersection of U.S. highways 550 and 160 at the beginning of August 2014. Created by Pennsylvania artist Tom Holmes, it raised ire from the beginning, including a running series of letters to the editor in The Durango Herald.<\/p>\n
Holmes said he could not speak about the situation until he spoke with his legal team in New York City.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that people thought that as a piece of art, it was a bit lackluster,\u201d said Karen Zink, who purchased the dinosaur head for her husband\u2019s, Jerry\u2019s, 65th birthday, with the funds going to art education. \u201cBut it provided the community with so much fun and connection.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zink found the destruction senseless.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhoever destroyed the Arc destroyed the fun we were having as a community,\u201d she said. \u201cThe city and the police were very gracious about allowing us to have the fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Shanan Campbell Wells, owner of Sorrel Sky Gallery and a member of the commission, the destruction was an affront to the artist.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know it\u2019s been messed with a lot,\u201d she said, \u201cbut this is such an unfortunate situation. I tend to look at things from an artist\u2019s point of view, and whether people like it or don\u2019t like it, it is a personal expression that deserves respect.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mike Smedley, known for his humor as the Action Line columnist, said there\u2019s nothing funny about the destruction of the sculpture.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will miss it,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s part of the local lore. The thing that was magical about the Arc was that it was a font for people\u2019s creativity and a focal point for jokes and humor and good fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a way, he said, Durango has lost its mascot.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo Arc deserves this,\u201d Smedley said. \u201cIt was owned by the people of Durango, and we are less of a community because of what has happened to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The whodunit is still a mystery, Shupe said. Officers are looking at video evidence from several cameras, he said, but at this time the department does not have any descriptions of suspects or vehicles.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Colorado Department of Transportation\u2019s) webcams don\u2019t record anything, they just livestream traffic,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re checking with both the DoubleTree (Hotel) and the (Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad\u2019s) cameras that are in the area, but we have a couple of days worth of video to go through.\u201d<\/p>\n
The DPD will need help to identify the culprits.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a busy intersection,\u201d Dugdale said. \u201cI don\u2019t care if this happened at 2 or 3 in the morning, someone saw something, and I hope they\u2019ll come forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
The vandals will face felony criminal mischief charges, Shupe said, because $28,000-worth of damage is substantial.<\/p>\n
The city has insurance for its entire public-art collection, Dugdale said, but the deductible may be as much as $5,000, although city staff hasn\u2019t had time to check details.<\/p>\n
Will the city replace the Arc of History with a new version or a different sculpture?<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t had those discussions, and we have to talk to the Public Art Commission,\u201d Dugdale said. \u201cBut I imagine we\u2019ll reach out to the artist about replacing it. Of course, it was a unique, one-of-a-kind piece that can\u2019t be duplicated.\u201d<\/p>\n