When League City Executive Director of Communications, Community Engagement, and Cultural Affairs Sarah Osborne learned that two 100 year old trees at League Park needed to be removed because they were diseased and dying, she called upon the advice of the Keep League City Beautiful committee—a group of League City residents that advise City staff and council on public art and preservation and conservation initiatives.
Within a few days, members of the committee reached out to a friend and fellow artist—James D. Phillips—who is known for his unique wood carvings located in Galveston and across Texas. Phillips examined the trees and agreed to carve two sculptures—one to be located at the Dickinson Street entrance to Hometown Heroes Park and the other in front of the Helen Hall Library.
Over the last seven days at Hometown Heroes Park, Phillips has been using a chainsaw and other wood carving instruments to create a sculpture of a League City volunteer firefighter rescuing a puppy. The sculpture is now complete, and the City’s Public Works and Parks Departments will be working to transfer the sculpture onto a permanent concrete base and create an informational sign that will be adjacent to the sculpture. The sculpture and sign will be officially unveiled on Saturday, May 22 as part of the City’s Red, White & Blue Top Gun 5K Fun Run and First Responder Celebration.
During the week of April 11, Phillips will begin carving a large piece of wood salvaged from one of the trees at League Park into a sculpture located in front of the Helen Hall Library. Patrons visiting the library are being asked to guess what the tree stump will become. You can submit your guess at https://bit.ly/treestumped.
In addition to the sculptures at the entrance to Hometown Heroes Park and the Helen Hall library, there was enough wood saved from the trees at League Park to create two additional sculptures. One of the tree trunks, located next to the caboose at League Park, has been left in place. Starting in mid-June it will be transformed by Phillips into a train conductor holding a lantern or a pocket watch. Citizens will be able to watch Phillips complete the sculpture during League City’s White Linen Night Art Crawl and Car Show on Saturday, June 25 located at League Park and along the streets in the historic district.
TREE STUMP LEFT IN PLACE NEXT TO CABOOSE AT LEAGUE PARK
Another large tree stump cut down from one of the dying trees has been relocated to a portion of the new running trail that will soon be opening at Hometown Heroes Park. Residents will get to vote in the coming months on what they would like Phillips to turn the wood into.
TREE STUMP RELOCATED ALONG NEW RUNNING TRAIL AT HOMETOWN HEROES PARK