Time, the elements and recent high winds have taken a toll on Altona's giant Van Gogh sunflower painting, and the recognizable symbol is coming down.
In 2017, the painting was taken down and refurbished by artist Cameron Cross.
"It, apparently, was supposed to last seven to ten years. But looking back, the backing of that painting was not treated lumber and has caused some rotting," explained Mayor Harv Schroeder. This, in turn, has caused some of the paint on the piece to peel away.
Then, high winds tore off an 8 sq. foot section of the painting last month and, this past weekend, the untreated backing on that spot was also ripped off. This made the structure unsound, and a crane company will be arriving in the coming days to remove the painting from the easel it's perched on. The easel will remain up and empty for the time-being.
"We have made a claim to our insurance company, and we will see if it will go through. We'll know that when we get the painting down because they'll want to look at it up-close," said Schroeder. Once down, the painting will be stored while Council works to gather quotes on various restoration, repair or replacement options.
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Council had already begun gathering information on what it would cost to repair the attraction before the recent winds wreaked additional havoc on it and, during that time, it became clear that a large-scale restoration was needed.
"We did look at some quotes last year and we were hoping to find room in the 2025 budget but, as we were going through the numbers, we thought it responsible to be good stewards of tax dollars and we would get some more options. As a result, we've decided to put it off until 2026," noted Schroeder.
"There will be a cost, no matter what we do. They all have a lifespan. They are assets to the community and all cost money," he added.
In an effort to make the best decision about the painting's future, the Town has launched a community survey seeking feedback from residents about what they'd like to see happen. According to Schroeder, 320 responses had filed in less than a day after the poll launched.
"Some people say it would be good to fund raise for this project and see how that cost recovery could happen, that maybe it's not all out of municipal tax dollars," added Schroeder. "But there is a lot of people that feel like it's a very well-worth painting to keep having."
If you'd like to offer your thoughts, you can fill out the survey here. A paper copy is also available at the town office.