Thursday, June 01, 2000
Angels watch over town
New statue finds home in park
By Terry Flynn
The Cincinnati Enquirer
BELLEVUE — An angel arrived at Bellevue Beach Park Wednesday,thanks to Mayor Tom Wiethorn and a $5,000 grant from Wal-Mart.
A bronze statue of a kneeling angel holding two doves in his hand was permanently mounted atop granite slabs as a tribute to area children who have been lost to their families. The statue resides near the amphitheater at the park, which is located along the Ohio River at the foot of Ward Avenue.
“We'll officially dedicate the statue at 1 p.m. on Father's Day (June 18),” Mr. Wiethorn said Wednesday morning while city workers anchored the angel to its base. “It will be dedicated to the Northern Kentucky families who have lost children through accidents or in other ways.”
This is the second angel statue to grace a Bellevue park. Several weeks ago, a female angel was installed at Swope Park, at Taylor Avenue and Locust Street. That statue also was financed by a portion of the $5,000 grant, as was a large bronze urn at Beach Park which is now a giant planter filled with flowers.
“I was honored by the National Center for Small Communities and Wal-Mart as an outstanding small town official,” Mr. Wiethorn explained. “It included a $5,000 grant, some of which was used to help people with house repairs. The rest went to purchase the statues and the urn.”
All three of the bronze pieces came from the Wooden Nickel Antiques on Montgomery Road in Montgomery, where they were spotted by Bellevue native Esther Ries. “The people at the Wooden Nickel were really helpful in helping us obtain the statues and the urn,” Mr. Wiethorn said.
The two chunks of granite that serve as the base for the newest angel also have historical significance for Bellevue. They were removed from one of the old railroad bridges in the city when repairs were made to the bridges several years ago.
Bellevue resident Diane Witte, who was also on hand when the angel was installed Wednesday, said she and two local artists — Joe Kiefer and Ray Bridewell — have started a Bellevue Art League to encourage the arts throughout the city.
“We plan a juried art exhibit here (in Bellevue Beach Park) on Oct. 8,” Ms. Witte said. “And we hope to enhance exposure of the arts to the children of the community.”
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