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Wolfeboro group asks select board to allow Thomas Dambo troll on town land; board requests engineering review
Summary
The Wolf World Troll Keepers asked the Select Board for permission to place a roughly 30-foot Thomas Dambo sculpture on town-owned land, citing tourism and educational benefits; board members requested written assurances, a license/term sheet, and review by wastewater consultants and DPW before any decision.
The Wolf World Troll Keepers presented a plan to install a large-scale sculpture by Danish artist Thomas Dambo on town-owned land, telling the Wolfeboro Board of Selectmen the project would be privately funded and maintained by a nonprofit steward group. "Our goal is to create a lasting public asset, minimizing demands on municipal resources," the group's presenter said, adding the installation would be constructed with reclaimed and locally sourced materials and is targeted for late summer–early fall 2027.
Board members welcomed the idea’s potential to boost year-round tourism and educational programs but raised multiple logistical and public-safety concerns. Select members asked the group to provide a license or loan agreement, a project term sheet, and details about parking, traffic control, maintenance, insurance and long-term stewardship. "We have to make sure they still, when the parking lot's packed, they’re going to have accessibility to get in and out," one selectman said, stressing the need for written confirmation from Woodard & Curran (the town’s wastewater consultant) and the public works director.
The presenter said the Wolf World Troll Keepers are an approved nonprofit that has retained legal counsel and intends to fund construction privately; Thomas Dambo’s team would design and build the sculpture with volunteer and community support. The board asked staff to request written input from Woodard & Curran and the DPW about access, future wastewater-plant expansion, parking capacity and emergency access before placing the matter on a future agenda. The board also signaled it would expect a license (or similar agreement) that documents the installation term, maintenance responsibilities, and indemnification terms before any approval.
Next steps: the board will solicit written feedback from the wastewater consultant and the public works director, ask the proponents for a draft license/term sheet, and report back publicly when that information is available.
