Hebe scheduled to leave tomorrow
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That’s because volunteers have come up with a way to begin fixing the statue after a local resident decided to help out with the cause by donating his professional skills. With his help, the $40,000 originally estimated for repairs will not be needed and taxpayers won’t be asked to contribute.
Heritage Alliance president Jo Lunsford and member Amy-Jo Stanford said they believe the statue may be able to be repaired using privately raised funds the organization has on hand, which is about $12,000. Both were ecstatic about the development.
“It may not even cost that much depending on how much other work is donated,” Lunsford said.
“I think it’s just a wonderful thing,” added member Rachel Killebrew, who said there are 58 pieces that need to be addressed. “It’s quite an elaborate process.”
The statue is expected to be taken down tomorrow at 10 a.m., but the base is not expected to be removed immediately. Volunteers said they were making efforts to ensure the statue does not fall apart when it is removed because it is in such bad shape and are planning to use a harness in the extraction process.
Jim McGaw, a metallurgist who is donating the labor for the project, estimates extensive repairs.
“The statue and base are in deep distress and the statue is cracked. The base is coming apart and the reason we’re going to take it apart quickly is that it just may fall down,” he said.
McGaw’s donation may help to ease years of public feuding about whether the statue, donated to the city in 1915, is worth saving given the estimated costs of repairs. Last year, city leaders meeting in budget sessions said they were asked to donate to the cause, but declined and suggested Heritage Alliance seek grants.
Others have balked at repair estimates, while McGaw said Thursday he believes the bid estimate was generally reasonable from a business standpoint.
The repairs result from a combination of community efforts, including those of Heritage Alliance and McMinnville Garden Club members, who coordinated with McGaw. McMinnville Electric System employees were scheduled to help with the statue’s removal using a bucket truck.
McMinnville Garden Club President Hilda Cantrell said she doubted the repairs would have been possible if not for garden club members who knew McGaw.
“When we heard there was someone capable of fixing Hebe, we jumped on that,” she said. “We’re just proud it’s turned out that way.”
Lunsford said it will be some time before the statue goes back up because Heritage Alliance members are planning to rededicate the statue in conjunction with the Main Street renovation project, which will not be under way until early next year.
The Main Street project plans call for the statue to be moved from its present location on Court Square to another area on Court Square, and Lunsford said it would not be practical to replace the statue twice.
The statue is said to be representative of the goddess of eternal youth in Greek mythology. It was donated to the city by Laura Davis Worley in connection with the Women’s Civic League and dedicated in February, 1915 in hopes of placing a classical statue on the east side of the old Court Square park.
McGaw said he is a mechanical engineer who also holds an engineering degree in metallurgy. He said he read about repair estimates after moving here about 2-1/2 years ago after being affiliated with those who purchased the old Cookeville Tool and Die and the old DeZurik building.
He said he decided to help out of a sense of community responsibility.
“Why not?” he said of his decision to lend his expertise to the cause. “I live here. You have to be good neighbors.”