Tearing Down of Stone Sculptures

Re “Stone Sculpture Removal Rocks Beach Visitors,” Jan. 5.

I feel that I must point out the obvious discrepancies in the explanations offered by Mike Montoya, parks manager for the city of Ventura, for destroying the artistic sculptures of homeless artist Stuart Finch.

Mr. Montoya states that crews were removing only the “unsafe portions” of Finch’s work, so that the rocks would not fall on children. He then states that the bulldozers clean the beach of debris and trash several times a month and that it was only a coincidence that the art formations were knocked down in the process.

Mr. Montoya can’t offer us both of those excuses.

DEB JACOBS

Simi Valley

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Please add my objection to the removal of the stone spire sculptures at Surfers Point in Ventura. What a waste!

The two resident families who called because they were concerned about children’s safety, should the sculptures have fallen, might have considered instead how children benefit from being exposed to the simple power of imagination and creativity. No batteries or complicated instructions were needed to enjoy what was destroyed.

I hope Stuart Finch will feel free to recreate some of his curious and intriguing sculptures. Not in Ventura, however.

DENISE C. MILLER

Ojai

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I wish I could come up with some clever speculation about why the city of Ventura felt it necessary to bulldoze artist Stuart Finch’s rock sculptures, but I simply can’t.

All I can say is that I saw the sculptures for the first time on New Year’s Eve and I thought that they were absolutely magnificent. They united locals and tourists alike as we walked among the sculptures, commenting on them and even creating a few of our own.

Surely this type of artwork can only bring good will to our community.

MELISSA ROMERO

Oak View