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Grant awarded and new conservator visits planned for Blackduck statue restoration
Summary
The Blandon Foundation awarded a $10,000 grant to support restoration of the Blackduck statue. The original conservator is unavailable; two alternative conservators proposed site visits costing $1,200–$1,500 to scope restoration work and provide estimates, and council agreed to invite one for a site visit.
Councilors received an update on the Blackduck statue restoration: the Blandon Foundation has awarded the city a $10,000 grant to support restoration work, and staff reported the originally contracted conservator (Rob Jensen) is unable to complete the project for health reasons.
Staff presented two alternate conservators — KCI and Midwest Art Conservation — who offered to perform one-day site visits to evaluate the statue and produce firm cost estimates. The proposed site-visit cost range was $1,200 to $1,500 to cover staff time and travel. Council members expressed a preference to pursue a professional conservator who could scope the work and report back with an estimate rather than attempting an unvetted repair.
Councilors also noted anecdotal uncertainty about the statue’s internal construction (fiberglass vs. plaster) and recounted past vandalism that had damaged earlier versions. Staff will schedule a site visit with one of the conservators and report findings and firm cost proposals to council.
