A tipster wrote in this morning to report about some breaking news on Alta Vista Road off Lexington Road and now we need your help to verify the destruction. Apparently, the Kool Aid guy has had a little trouble with a brick wall.
From our tipster:
The Presbyterian Seminary on Alta Vista has a brick screen wall along the road. A rather large portion of the wall has fallen or been knocked down. It has been like that for a month or two with yellow caution tape around it. This morning I noticed that someone has positioned a large, seemingly hand-made, stuffed Kool-Aid guy atop the broken portion of wall with a big sign that says “Oh Yeah!”
Now I hope it’s obvious a photo is required to illustrate this event. Anyone going to be in the area today? Send in a photo and I’ll post it here. It doesn’t have to be fancy, a cell phone pic will do. Send your photos, reports of other Kool Aid guy sightings, or anything else interesting to tips@brokensidewalk.com. This must be preserved for posterity.
Meanwhile, Big Bad Bart, the Motorcycle Maniac, is reported to be ransacking the Baptist Seminary, in search of “A Big Cereal, with a Big Taste”.
Within minutes of reading this blog post, I raced over, camera in bike bag, hoping to catch the miscreant Kool-Aid guy.
Sadly, someone, presumably the groundskeeping staff at the Seminary, had removed the sign and Kool-Aid guy. The wall is still in pieces.
Somebody lacked a sense of humor, it seems.
Dangit! I was really hoping to see this, I was gonna go after work if no picture had been forthcoming.
I wish this had been posted a couple of hours earlier: I was at LTS for a class from 10-11. I saw the yellow tape on the way in – it’s been there, as noted, for a few weeks – but I didn’t spot Kool-Aid guy around 9:50. He might not have been sufficiently eye-catching to grab attention in my peripheral vision, though …
Thanks for the effort in trying to get a photo. I spoke with LPTS and they confirmed the statue was removed this morning and they are checking to see if a photo exists.
LPTS says they were worried about safety due to the condition of the wall and removed it so no one would get hurt. When the weather improves, the broken segment will be demolished and rebuilt.
The Seminary says they probably won’t throw the Kool-Aid guy away and agreed that the hoax was clever and pretty amusing. I think contextual street art is the best.
I forgot to post it in the article, but you might also be interested in a similar thing that happened in Chicago a couple years ago. The actual Kool-Aid guy was never found, but “Wanted” posters appeared at the site of another broken wall. Click here for photos.
Louisville Seminary removes section of boundary fence for safety reasons
2/24/2010
FYI:
http://www.lpts.edu/News-Events/article.asp?intid=361
Today, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary began removing approximately 500 feet of brick fencing that borders the north end of the 63-acre campus, near its main entrance.
On January 25, 2010, Facilities staff discovered that nearly 75 feet of the fence had collapsed. It is assumed that the fencing, which had been buttressed with concrete braces in the 1960s, had continued to weaken as the ground shifted over time.
Immediately, engineers were called in to assess the situation for safety, extent of damage, and future restoration. Upon recommendation of the contractors, Louisville Seminary deemed it necessary to remove 500 feet of the fencing, which is currently unstable and poses a safety hazard. Demolition began today.
Several estimates for rebuilding or restoring the boundary fence have been secured in amounts greater than $100,000. However, during the current, national economic challenges, which have impacted Seminary finances dramatically, replacing the structure will not take place.
“We have been urged to take down the fence as soon as possible for safety reasons,†said Vice President and CFO Patrick Cecil, who is overseeing the situation. “However, in this time of financial constraint, we cannot justify taking funds from student scholarships, financial aid, and other necessary programs and support to replace the fence.â€
Louisville Seminary President Dean K. Thompson stated that if there were individuals who wanted to fund the restoration, the Seminary would certainly consider and welcome such support.
Thanks for the update, Robin. I didn’t realize the demolition was going to be so soon or so extensive. I’m still keeping my fingers crossed that a photo turns up of the Kool-Aid guy.