A bronze turtle has been stolen from the Gage Park Fountain again
- Michael Kras
- 26 Apr 2021
Our bronze-cast reptilian friends of Hamilton’s Gage Park just can’t seem to catch a break.
One of the iconic bronze turtles surrounding the Gage Park Fountain has been stolen yet again, following a string of documented thefts throughout the years; including one that happened less than a year ago.
Spring is here. Hamilton is locked down. And another Gage Park fountain turtle is missing.
Everything old is new again, @fallonhewitt_ reports #HamOnthttps://t.co/BefeC7DLeG
— Hamilton Spectator (@TheSpec) April 24, 2021
However, in past instances of the bronze turtles being swiped from the fountain, those 20-pound turtles – which have sat as part of the Gage Park Fountain since it was built almost a century ago in 1927 – have later been returned to their rightful home following community outcry.
The first documented theft took place in 1996, and the second back in May of 2020; and in both instances, the turtles were recovered.
Whether this new instance of turtle theft will end in a similarly happy way remains to be seen; but hey, turtles are notoriously slow, so maybe this newly-snatched fountain fixture will eventually find its way home.
Why these mystery turtle bandits decided to snatch them away in the first place is anybody’s guess. Did they want to sell them as scrap metal? Were they looking for a new mantlepiece? Did they simply feel like being mischievous?
Whatever the reason, hopes are high among Hamiltonians that the bronze turtle – an important piece of the city’s heritage – will be sitting in place again someday soon.
Lead image courtesy of @chat_photography
Comments 0
There are no comments
Add comment