The public has been enthusiastic about the dramatic improvements around the raised Keeper of the Plains sculpture, with reports of visitors even thanking city workers on site. But not everybody is treating the new Keeper with the respect it deserves: City officials say skateboarders, cyclists, off-the-path walkers and unwatched children have done $3,500 to $4,000 in damage to landscaping, handrails and stonework, despite the video surveillance system. In response, the city is installing two more monitoring cameras capable of spotting and following the movements of vandals.
Disheartening as the damage is, the alternative — a city without such amenities — would be much worse. As Vice Mayor Sharon Fearey told The Eagle editorial board this week, it’s sad that some people don’t recognize that the Keeper and other public artworks are "there for everybody to love, and keep your mitts off."
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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40 Comments
You have to expect that this could and would happen. Sad as may be, there will always be juveniles who like to tear up stuff. If you want it to stay nice, you’re going to have to make it so that someone is either there to guard it, or install a zapper fence.
I hope that we can get enough citizens onto the park areas who can be ‘eyes and ears’ with cell phones. I have 911 on speed-dial.
The Keeper was just fine as it was before this ridiculous multi-million “improvement.” When I first moved here in 95, I was struck by how much the statue seemed organic to its location – part of the land, water, and sky.
What would Blackbear Bosin say about turning his work into a high-tech, high-cost, high-maintenance, schmaltzy tourist attraction?
What would he say Tom?
Have you been to the site yet?
Joe, I don’t know what he would say, which is why I posed the question. And yes, I’ve been to the site. It’s a disappointment.
I have been to the site. There are things I like and things I do not like. I think the ‘towers’ on the bridges are over-done; they overwhelm the site. I would have preferred a more subdued approach with bridges similar to the ‘red bridge’ up by Riverside Hospital.
I don’t know about the firepots; again they just seem a bit much. I’ll have to digest that a bit. Growth of vegetation may also soften some of it.
I like the plaza and displays there.
On the east side of the river near Farm Credit the lights seem overly bright. Again, a more relaxing dimmer light would seem more pleasant. HOWEVER, as noted, vandalism etc loves the dark. So, in many ways designers are stuck between a rock and a hard place designing something like this for nighttime use.
One thing I love in the wilderness is the dark; especially when there is no moon and the stars stand out so bright. Unfortunately, in a city that becomes fearful.
A sad irony – I have no fear of ‘lions tigers and bears’ out in the forest but do have that fear in the City.
The only thing I didn’t like about the site is the power lines across the river.
I know that it goes to a re-up boost station, but at least the city could have used some of the money to pay Westar to stab it underground, so the view wouldn’t be obstructed.
Agree about the power lines. It would be nice to find a way to relocate them. I tended to not focus on them because they were a ‘pre-existing condition.’
I don’t know if they could be buried or re-routed but that would sure be nice.
“off-the-path-walkers”! Beware, we now have a new type of criminal. Is this a public place, or a restricted area?
With the high cost of fuel it doesn’t make much sense for the city to waste it by burning it. What does that cost the city, and how are they going to preach at us to conserve fuel while wasting it by burning it?
Thinking about the fire pits and what might have actually come closer to Native tradition. Might tney have built some sort of fire pit in which one might burn wood? Could that have then been provided by ‘recycling’ storm-downed trees and such? Then have the fires only on specific occassions and tended by Native Americans?
For the most part, I like the improvements on the “Keeper” though I do question the wisdom of spending that much money. A few things I don’t like though….the bridges do overwhelm and overshadow the sculpture. It is almost impossible to get a photo of the Keeper and all the rocks without getting “bridge junk”. After all, what was supposed to be the main focus anyway? One other thing. why is there nothing there at all giving tribute to the artist? Plenty of stuff there to imortalize those who had anything to do with the project, but not one mention of the artist. That’s totally wrong!
There is stuff there noting the artist. It’s in a plaque the background, where any competent artist would want it.
In addition to the power lines, the power station on the east bank of the river has no berms or trees and is a much bigger eyesore than the lines crossing the river, IMO.
One thing the bridge adds is a tremendous view of Exploration Place where you can see both the building and the ICT skyline in the background–really gives insight into Safdie’s genius: the building re-states the angles of the skyline while looking less geometric and more wind- or water-carved (not to mention the arabesque/pyramidal references that are the Egyptian Safdie’s signature). The best piece of architecture in the state!
I’m for the bridge just for allowing me a new reverie for the ExP building.
So how do you reach the conclusion that the pubic is enthusiastic about the updated Keeper? Answer: only ask the people who show up to look at it. It’s like going to the Republican National Convention and asking if their excited about the Gay Marriage Ban.
Also, are the vandals included in the enthusiastic group? I’m sure those skateboarders and BMX kids are all excited about their unofficial skate park.
delsol – you could have had the same panamoramic view without the superstructure above the bridges. That was my concarn.
You are correct; the view southwards from the bridges is fantastic.
No disagreement there, Ben. The “bows” are too big and too white.They had a difficult task in trying to make a visual and aesthetic link between the avant-garde modernism of the ExP building and the earthy folk-modernism of the Keeper, but they didn;t do a great job.All told, though, it could have been worse (the trite, hack Douglas sculptures, or the awful steel “gateway” wings). It’s not as bad as thought it would be when it was going up.Then there’s that ridiculous thing Connie Ernatt’s making, the lion-pole police tribute sculpure, or whatever it is–asoon to be another in our long line of hackneyed, amateurish public art in ICT.
The fire pits as everybody calls them are not turned on 24/7 as most people think they are.
This is the schedule:
• Friday & Saturday nights: 9 PM, 10 PM and 11 PM for 15 minutes for each burn.• Sunday through Thursday nights: 9 PM and 10 PM for 15 minutes for each burn.
Good point Joe. They definitely are not on 24/7. I still wonder if they could have been done differently. Especially with aprticular woods that might have relevant ceremonial meaning.
Unforyunately I have lost touch with my roots so I do not know what specific woods we would have used for different things.
An image to consider: a similar suspension bridge but with poles on both ends over the wider river down near Kellogg. Modern with modern. Joe! That is also the area I might envision your Peerless Tower:
http://www.peerlesstower.com/designcontest.html
When Exploration Place first opened, I thought that it was odd that the design allowed for people to walk up the arching entranceway and reach the roof of the building (it wasn’t long before the unsightly spikes were installed to prevent such a journey).
Sometimes common sense takes a backseat to architectural planning. The same is true of the Keeper.
I predict that it will become a highly prized target for gang grafitti.
Where exactly on the river?
Near Kellogg? Be more specific! North or South, were would the bridge points be? Is there a need for another pedestrian bridge when the Lewis Street Bridge is sufficient?
Not real sure Joe. I’d have to go down there and walk the area. Definitely north of Kellogg because that is where the architecture is. UNLESS! If there were some sort of development on the west bank sough of Kellogg. Then connecting the bank near BG products across.
You raise a good point about Lewis st – a pedestrian bridge is probably not justified. I’m just doing some ‘visioning’
I DO want a bridge south of Pawnee connecting the parks there; however that should be a more subdues one – again similar to the red bridge at Riverside Hospital.
What I am doing is consistency or architecture. I would oppose your tower near the Keeper or Riverside. However, down below Douglas is a different story. Similarly I have problems with the ‘towers’ on the bridges at the Keeper while I think they could be ‘cool’ further south.
What I would really need to do would be to walk the area and ’scope it out’ – also get some digital photos and get someone competant with computers to ‘build’ them into the pictures. Would also want to ‘build’ your tower virtual first. Tend to think either your proposed location or maybe a bit east of there.
I wonder … west of the river just N of kellogg for the tower. Thinking of what the view from the tower toward the Keeper and south towars Herman Hill. Need to look at a map and the curvature of the river.
I believe I will stand by the location, which is front of the Hyatt Hotel, unless something else convinces me is a better location.
That is in the area I mentioned. Like I said; I’d have to give it some thought and drawings. It would be fun to play with.
I knew Blackbear Bosin, and I don’t think he’d have liked all the Las Vegas glitz that’s been added to the Keeper. It was designed to be itegral with the river site, and all the crap that’s been added since detracts from that.
Jed,
Thanks for that insight. My impression of the statue and its original placement has always been that that’s what the artist had in mind.
Tom, Jed,
I would like to add that I agree with you Jed to a point, i think he always wanted the Keeper to be more accessable to the general public. I also agree with the rotation of the keeper to point due East. I also agree with raising it but i dont agree with the towers on the bridges and the fire pots. I do like the plaza but i would like to see ‘more there’, maybe a bit larger of a gathering space at the base. I do like how we can walk down to the river right there, thats nice.
Tony,
I actually find raising the Keeper on the pedestal to be among the most egregiously bad “improvements” made to the site. As I said in my first post on this waaaay upthread, the statue always seemed to organically be a part of the earth, sky, and water. Very Native American in many ways. The pedestal takes it away from all that.
I like the Keeper now. In the past you could not see it. In my mind the bridges don’t distract much from the Keeper. To get the true aspect of the Keeper you have to be near it.
As with any public project there will be negatives and positives. The views of downtown and Exploration Place are great and that I think is the greatest improvement for this project.
The views from the bridges ARE great; I am glad we have them – to a point. That point is that I don’t think they should have included those towers with the bridges. A much more subdued bridge design, in my opinion, would have been better. The towers should NOT over-shadow the Keeper.
As for raising the Keeper I think it should have been raised SOME but not that much. Probably about half as much so that it would still be grounded in the earth but also reaching into the air.
Finally the fire pots: I still tend to think it would have been interesting to have built something more traditional that would burn wood. Then allow Native Americans tend fires doring specific ceremonial celebrations.
I absolutely love the keeper of the plains project. Finally it looks appealing to the eye. Its something that is unique. The keeper before the upgrade was boring and most people in the city didn’t know of its existence, now it makes a statement!
I absolutely love the keeper of the plains project. Finally it looks appealing to the eye. Its something that is unique. The keeper before the upgrade was boring and most people in the city didn’t know of its existence, now it makes a statement!
25 million dollars so the pigeons have something else to crap on! This is a prime example of gov’t waste. Is it a tourist attraction….NO. Will the citizens of Wichita continue to visit after they have been there one time……..NO. Sounds like it is becoming a skatepark sooner than I expected. Yet, people here have the balls to complain about the arena. Hypocrisy is alive and well in doo-dah.
Oh btw, the citizens of Wichita still do not know it exists.
Mike,
I think the Keeper project was 6 million, not 25. Still waaaaay too expensive, though.
TomI was over budget. But not by much…..how does 20 million sound?
http://www.wichita.gov/news/announcements/2006/03-08-2006a.htm
The cost of the Keeper of Plains project that I remember being reported in the EAGLE was $28,000,000. By comparison, I estimate a second Epic Center office building could be built for about $15 million.
Plus the annual operational costs for natural gas, electricity for lights and pumps, security, maintenance, insurance, etc. to be paid by taxpayers are going to be high.
Is it worth it to the public or was it merely an exercise in fun by government employees?
Mike,
Looks like you’re right on that budget number. Thanks for the info.
Yet another reason to remove a couple of incumbents in 09!
Come on, with the fires burning at light, it looks like a luau. Even my 3-year old thinks so. She pointed at the Keeper and said, “Look Daddy! Big tiki!”
Come on, with the fires burning at night, it looks like a luau. Even my 3-year old thinks so. She pointed at the Keeper and said, “Look Daddy! Big tiki!”