For the week of August 8 - 14, 2001

Severn Gallery is plagued by vandalism

By GREG MOORE
Express Staff Writer

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A blazing mattress early Sunday morning in the underground parking area of the Gail Severn Gallery has ratcheted up the level of recurring vandalism there.

The fire was only the most recent of many incidents of vandalism that have caused about $100,000 in damage to the Ketchum gallery during the past year, Gail Severn said. She said the damage has apparently been caused by local youths who use the gallery’s garage and sidewalk as a skateboard park and late-night hang-out area.

"Kids go down there and they drink and they smoke and they do drugs," Severn said.

She said the mattress had originally been placed against a wall at the end of the garage’s entrance ramp as an apparent pad for out-of-control skateboaders. On the night of the fire, it had been dragged to a spot near the ramp’s opening into the adjacent alley, and was surrounded by beer bottles and cigarette butts.

Ketchum Fire Chief Tom Johnson said the fire call came in at 5:21 a.m. as the result of a smoke alarm.

"We had a giant blaze in the basement," Severn said.

She said damage was limited to smoke stains and soot. However, she added, "It could have been a disaster."

Johnson said it is unclear whether the fire was set intentionally or accidentally.

Ketchum Police Chief Cal Nevland said that over the past year or so, officers have heavily patrolled the area. He said they have evicted kids hanging out there, but can only arrest them for trespass if they have been previously told by the owner to leave. He said "No trespassing" signs have not been very helpful.

"They rip the signs out of the concrete as soon as they’re put up," he said.

Severn said her efforts to expel trespassing teens have been met with profanity and, in one instance, violence, when she was punched in the shoulder.

Nevland said that due to incidents such as those at the Severn gallery, he is considering recommending that the City Council pass an ordinance prohibiting skateboarding on all public property except the skateboard park and on all private property unless authorized by the owner.

Severn said much of the damage has been done to outdoor sculptures that were knocked over or otherwise vandalized.

"It’s stupid stuff and they probably don’t even know what they’re doing," she said. "I don’t think they realize that an artist struggles for six months or a year to create something.

"But I want the parents of this community to know that what their kids are doing is causing people monetary harm."

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