Government Center flag mural to be restored
By Rich Bird Post-Tribune correspondent February 18, 2012 11:22PM
Repairs will be made Monday to the veterans mural at the Lake County Government Center in Crown Point. | Jeffrey D. Nicholls~Sun-Times Media
Updated: March 20, 2012 8:10AM
CROWN POINT — County officials have agreed to restore the flag mural at the Lake County Government Center to its former glory.
The mural on the War Memorial Wall, which was created in 2008, recently sustained damage when several framed photographs, narratives and awards were removed from the wall. That resulted in the removal of strips of paint and plaster leaving bare drywall exposed.
According to Ray Guiden, service officer for the Lake County Veterans Service Office, the framed pieces, which were not part of the original concept of the memorial, were removed out of concern that they were covering portions of the American flag, specifically the field of stars.
Guiden contacted the original artist, Dave Dick — owner of Cedar Lake-based Dave’s Signs and Murals — who assessed the situation and submitted what Guiden called a “very reasonable” quote of about $300 to repair the damage.
“I just wanted to restore it as a tribute to all the veterans who have given their lives, especially the Lake County veterans,” Guiden said.
Dick will undertake the project Monday during a six- to eight-hour process that will include repairing the drywall, the application of plaster, sanding, priming, repainting and varnish.
After spending two weeks to create the mural in the spring of 2008, Dick is looking forward to restoring his monument to servicemen and women.
“I’ll get it looking exactly the way it was,” he said.
The framed pieces that were removed, including the pictures of two deceased servicemen, are being kept safely in the Veterans Affairs Office, and will be installed on a nearby wall on the second floor of the Government Center, Guiden said.
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