NEWS: Odd Developments on Duck Isle

PORTLAND, Maine -- Sometime this weekend, strange things have arisen in the pond at Deering Oaks. Someone has placed a most interesting structure on the little island in the middle of the pond where the red and white duck house is placed each year when the weather warms up.

What is it, you ask? Well, from all appearances, it is a miniature toilet on a pedestal, mounted on four classical columns. Your correspondent was unable to get a closer look due to time constraints on her way to work this morning, but it appears to be made out of wood. It might also be painted gold, but it was hard to tell due to the flatness of the overcast early morning light available.

Is this sanctioned Art in the Park, or is it a renegade installation by creative-minded guerillas? Did they trundle it out in a stealth rowboat? What is the artist trying to say??? If they're complaining about sanitation levels in the Park, a quick trip to Central Park in NYC should clear up any objections and give a sense of perspective.

Hopefully we are not returning to the issues of early June 2004, when according to the AP, "A Portland woman accused of spreading dog feces at Deering Oaks Park as part of a vendetta against its weekly farmer's market has been banned from the park and charged with criminal mischief." Around the same time, the Castle-in-the-Park's structure received unwarranted abuse "after a portable toilet in front of the building was lit on fire." (see the Forecaster)

Perhaps the person is just potty about ducks, similar to myself and my roommates.

Photo showing normal state of affairs on Duck Isle, Deering Oaks Park, (c) Michelle Souliere.

UPDATE: As of 1:50pm when I walked by on my way back intown to an appointment, the toilet art was no longer there. GAH!!!! Now I *really* wish I had taken a photo of it. Disappeared, like a mirage...