APPLETON (NBC 26) — A planned selfie sculpture in downtown Appleton is on hold after unexpected public backlash and rising costs forced organizers to reconsider the project.
- Appleton Downtown Inc. canceled the planned selfie sculpture in Houdini Plaza
- Public backlash over the design, wording, and cost led to the decision
- Alderpeople shared images online, which led to mostly negative feedback from their constituents
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
A planned selfie sculpture in downtown Appleton is on hold after unexpected public backlash and rising costs forced organizers to reconsider the project.
The sculpture, intended to be a permanent photo opportunity in Houdini Plaza, was spearheaded by Appleton Downtown Inc. (ADI). However, ADI’s marketing director, Abby Novak, explained that the project is no longer moving forward in its current form.
“[It's] something that we’ll be working on but unfortunately won’t be done with in time for the draft,” Novak stated.
Renderings of the project sparked criticism from the public, with concerns over its design, location, and wording on the structure. Cost also played a significant role in the decision to pause the project.
"Almost double what we thought it was going to be,” Novak revealed.
Much of the public backlash started after some Appleton alderpeople shared images of the project online, before Appleton Downtown, Inc. says they were ready to make an official announcement.
“The location, the way it looked, the words that were on the structure … and all those different things,” Novak noted, describing the negative response.
Despite the controversy, alderperson Nate Wolff defended his decision to post about the project, emphasizing the importance of public engagement.
“I’m definitely not against something happening in Houdini Plaza in general. We want people to interact with it. That’s really important—that people want to interact with it and aren’t using it as a way to mock the thing that we put there,” he explained.
Appleton resident Josue Troncoso was among those who opposed the design.
“It’s going to make the park look a lot more industrial. It’s going to make it look like an office area,” Troncoso pointed out.
“When people go out to parks, I think people want to see something that is more, uh, aesthetically pleasing than that,” he added.
Appleton's Common Council will vote to approve the withdrawal request from Appleton Downtown, Inc. so that they can focus on bring a revised proposal to the table.
