For the second time in a week, parts of Denver鈥檚 Civic Center Park have been damaged.
Over the weekend, a hit-and-run driver took out part of the park鈥檚 more than 100-year-old marble . Wednesday, the interactive installation was set on fire. The sculpture, which features an antique piano with a steel tree growing out of it, was a total loss.
鈥淭he edge of the park in particular has taken a bit of a beating lately,鈥� said Scott Robson, executive director of the Civic Center Conservancy. Especially the part of the park along Colfax Avenue, which Robson described as a bit of a 鈥渨ar zone.鈥�
鈥淒rivers whether they鈥檙e intoxicated or whatever the issue might be, miss the curve and drive into the park,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ver just the last year (they鈥檝e) destroyed trees; I think, four different light poles along the park; and a really large part of public art was destroyed by a car nine months ago that is still under repair.鈥�
That can be expensive. The damage to the railing will cost the city about $75,000, Robson said. The sculpture, which was on loan from the artists, was valued at around $50,000.
The non-profit hopes to work with Denver Parks and Recreation and Public Works to find a way to prevent cars from driving into the park, while maintaining its historic nature.
鈥淧eople are really surprised to learn that and one of only 25 in the entire state,鈥� Robson said. 鈥淪o that raises particular concerns when you have this kind of damage occurring on a regular basis.鈥�
In the meantime, they are working with Denver-based , the artists behind 鈥淭ree of Transformation,鈥� to figure out how to take it down, and marble from Washington is being ordered to repair the railing. The Denver Police Department is investigating both incidents.