By Lisa A. Bernard
Reprinted with permission of the Journal-News
HAMILTON — A sculpture that once adorned the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens could be making its way to Hamilton.
The City of Sculpture recently purchased from the zoo a piece called Helios Guardian. A representative from the non-profit civic group plans to ask the Hamilton City Council for permission to place Helios in Miami Woods on New London Road.
“This sculpture was available because of (the zoo’s) remodeling. I don’t have the dimensions, but it’s a big metal sculpture that looks like giraffes and elephants” said Patti Froelke of the City of Sculpture. “We feel really for fortunate to get this. We’re hoping to have it up later this fall.”
City of Sculpture members were told the piece, which was crafted by Minneapolis sculptor Michael Bigger, is worth more than $500,000. However, the City of Sculpture “paid no where near that,” Froelke said.
“We just offered enough to get it here and have it assembled,” said Froelke, who opted not to disclose the price paid for the piece. “As long as we have the money, that’s our main goal, to place sculptures in the area for enjoyment of the public.”
Hamilton Mayor Don Ryan said although he would like to see the sculpture first before approving the request, he is “behind the City of Sculpture 100 percent” in its endeavors.
“Those are private donations from people who are expressing their own desire to beautify our city,” Ryan said. “(City of Sculpture) is just one of a variety of positive initiatives that always benefits the city.”
The council is scheduled to meet tonight at 5:30 for a work session, and at 7 p.m. for its regular meeting on the first floor of One Renaissance Center, 345 High St.
Also scheduled to go before the council is a request for funds from a local senior service transportation provider.
Representatives with ARK, a transportation service which is a division of Senior Services, Inc., plan to ask the council for $17,000 in funds from the city to help support its services.
The city council last year approved a $15,000 donation to the agency.
Steve Schnabl, executive director of the Senior Services, Inc., said the rising costs of gas and oil, combined with no increases in federal support, have put the group in a financial pinch.
“Several other municipalities have been contributing for many years and last year was the first time that the city of Hamilton made a contribution,” Schnabl said. “We, at that time, indicated that we were very much in need of annual support. We are very hopeful and very much in need of a repeating subsidy payment.”
Schnabl said about 30 to 35 percent of ARK’s riders are Hamilton residents.
Ryan said he feels the council “would definitely consider (funding ARK) again because of the benefit it provides our citizens.”
In addition, a public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. concerning a request by the city’s planning department for the council to OK a 90-day moratorium on approving new construction, primarily in the street blocks bounded by Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Pershing Avenue, Knightsbridge Drive and the Great Miami River.
Such a move will allow city staff to work with consultants to develop design standards for the community that are consistent with the vision of the Neighborhood Initiative plan, planning department officials have said.
The council is scheduled to vote on an emergency ordinance tonight concerning the request.
Contact Lisa A. Bernard at (513) 820-2186, or e-mail her at lbernard@coxohio.com.