Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington (CSGW) and Elora Sculpture Project (ESP) have partnered to help keep the arts community safe in Centre Wellington.
Those enjoying the annual art installations throughout Elora and Fergus will notice a new addition to the spaces; signs inviting the public to report crime against the sculptures. The signs include logos of both organizations and a QR code so that a Tipster could easily access the CSGW website and report criminal activity anonymously and confidentially.
“We’ve been putting on this exhibition for 11 years, and every year now we have 17 or 18 sculptures presented. Basically, artists are lending these to the community so that we can enjoy them throughout the summer months. It’s really important that we as a community are stewards of them. Over the past 11 years we’ve been doing this we’ve had seven or eight incidents where there’s been some vandalism, some sculptures where pieces were stolen from or there was some deliberate damage even, which is very disappointing. So, we just think the public needs to realize that, hey, these are here for your enjoyment. Please respect them, and if you should see something untoward, then report it to Crime Stoppers.” David Cross, Chairman of the Elora Sculpture Project Committee.
The signs, which are installed at ESP sites throughout Centre Wellington, will be on display throughout the summer and will be removed when the sculpture project wraps for the season in October.
“This is a great example of Crime Stoppers being an active part of the community,” said Sarah Bowers-Peter, Program Coordinator for CSGW. “With Crime Stoppers partnering with Elora Sculpture Project Committee, the public will see that they CAN do something about crime. Those who love the arts should be particularly pleased that they can take an active role in protecting the pieces that have given them such joy and respect the artists who have created them.”
The gift of time, talent and creativity is as valuable as any other aspect of a community, said Bowers-Peter, and it’s important that we encourage the public to protect these contributions. The sculptures are contributing factor to tourism in Centre Wellington as well as the ongoing enjoyment of residents of the community.
If you are aware of theft, mischief of other damage to these sculptures, you can safely and anonymously report the crime to CSGW by calling 1-800-222-TIPS or going online to www.csgw.tips If your information leads to an arrest, you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000. Your Tip could be the missing piece of the puzzle!
