Local teens help spruce up iconic Plymouth Township sculptures
Luke Weidel (left), pictured with his Detroit Catholic Central classmate Sean Goff, work on restoring the iconic Rockwell Sculptures Sandboxes at Plymouth Township Park.
An iconic 40-year-old Plymouth Township landmark received a much-needed makeover earlier this month thanks to the diligence of Township teenager Luke Weidel and a group of his dedicated friends.
Weidel and his crew of volunteers spent several hours on June 5 restoring the play structure at Plymouth Township Park that was sculpted by Peter Rockwell (the son of beloved artist Norman Rockwell) in 1986, long before any of the restoring volunteers were even born.
The sculptures, which have been enjoyed by children and adults for decades, are made from Italian limestone called traventine.
Project hits close to home
Weidel, a senior-to-be at Detroit Catholic Central High School, said he is restoring the sculptures and their surroundings as part of an Eagle Scout project; but the project also hits close to his heart.
“I grew up playing in this park and on these sculptures because I live nearby,” Weidel said. “When I saw them recently, I thought it was in a little bit of rough shape, so I thought, ‘Why not restore it … it benefits myself and others’.”
Approximately 20 volunteers arrived at different times throughout the restoration project. In addition to some much-appreciated sweat equity, the workers were provided pizza donated by Canton’s Pizzawala’s.
Northville-based Ellsworth Landscaping Supplies also donated tons of new sand for the project.
How will Weidel feel several years from now when he brings his own children to play on the iconic sculptures?
“I think I’ll feel a sense of pride that I played a role in cleaning the area up,” he said. “There will be some nostalgic feeling as well, I’m sure.”
Successful fundraising
To help pay for the restoration, Weidel organized a fundraising event and his parents, Keith and Mary, set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for, among other things, 40 tons of sand needed to freshen up the area.
The sculptures include three-toed grumps, lady cyclopes and two-faced monsters, among other characters, according to a 1986 Detroit Free Press article.
“I guess I’ve always done monsters because they relate to earth and stone,” Rockwell told the Free Press in 1986. “They’re a fantasy and for something like this, they provide a playful element.”
Lasting legacy for Rockwell
Rockwell, who was 49 at the time of the initial sculpting, passed away in 2020 at the age of 83.
“I assigned our volunteers with certain roles, including replacing the old sand with new sand,” Weidel said. “Ellsworth and Pizzawala’s really stepped up to help us get this done.”
Along with tidying up the sculptures, the volunteers stained benches that are located nearby the artwork.
It takes a village
Weidel said is grateful to Plymouth Township administrators, who gave him the green light to carry on with his project.
While he has proven he’s dedicated to preserving grounded historical items like Rockwell’s sculptures, Weidel said he aspires to someday be a commercial airline pilot.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
