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. . above (Friday evening, March 20, 2020): [L] Lady Liberty replica in the dark, in Exile at Erie Blvd. and Union Street; [R] well-lighted and empty central sculpture base at Lady Liberty’s real Home, Liberty-Gateway Park .. 

As disrespectful as Lady Liberty’s current location is during the daytime (photo to the right), Her condition at night is even more deplorable. The answer is not to figure out lighting for that dismal spot that somehow plays down the inappropriate utility poles and boxes, and lamp posts of all kinds, and the nearby underpass, embankment-retaining wall, and parking lot. The answer is to move the replica statue to its original and intended location at Liberty Park in Gateway Plaza. The Central Sculpture base at Gateway-Liberty Plaza is a grand spot virtually identical with Her original location, visible from the major roadways and comfortably situated in the Park, with plenty of room for visitors standing or sitting, and with lighting that will illuminate the statue daily from sunset through the night.

. . For the Full Story, with a description, photos and links, of how Lady Liberty was Exiled by Mayor McCarthy, at the request of Mary Moore Wallinger, and contrary to the fully approved Gateway Plaza Implementation Plan (2013), go to our posting:  https://tinyurl.com/DissedLady

below: Lady Liberty seen in 2016 at Her real Schenectady Home, Liberty Park, where she was intended to return after the reconfiguration and expansion of the Park into Gateway Plaza. [more images here]

One very cost-effective way for our leaders to raise the spirits of the Schenectady Community as we face all the worries of the COVID-19 crisis, would be to have the Lady Liberty replica returned to Liberty Park, to demonstrate that the City of Schenectady honors its history and its promises, and listens to its people.

The recent care shown for the statues of Edison and Steinmetz, a few blocks away on Erie Boulevard, should inspire us and lighten our mood. (See “Amid coronavirus response someone gives Edison and Steinmetz statues in Schenectady masks“, by Bill Buell, March 25, 2020). Thomas and Charles are nicely lit at night:

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above: photos courtesy of [R] Dr. Frank Wicks; [L] Brian Merriam. And see our daylight photos of the statues)

. . follow-up (March 30, 2020): Lady Liberty gets a face-mask, too. .

– click on collage  –

. . And, see “First Steinmetz and Edison, now Lady Liberty receives mask” (Gazette, by Pete DeMola, April 1, 2020)

update (5:30 PM, April 1, 2020): 48 hours after I first saw the masked Lady, I snapped the two photos below, showing that someone had removed the bandana mask from the statue. At this point, we can only speculate on who and why.

Indeed, the kind attention given Edison and Steinmetz should melt the hearts of Mayor Gary McCarthy and Mary Wallinger, and maybe light a fire under our City Council to stand up for the 2013 Resolution they (and the Mayor) approved that promised to return Lady Liberty to Liberty-Gateway Park. At a time when we need hope, maybe City Hall can give us a reason to cheer and feel like a community — with open, honest Government.

The Photos in the Collage below where taken on March 20, 2020. [click on it for a larger version.] The Lady is in the Dark, when she should be In Her Park. Let the Mayor and City Council know how you feel.

REPRISE: Our photo-OpEd from the Summer of 2019:

. . share this posting with this short url: https://tinyurl.com/BrightenTheLady . .