Yellowknife (Jun 02/06) - Vandals have been chipping away at a sculpture at the visitors centre, and Dayna Lennie says they may not be able to repair it again.

The statue was built in 1995 by five carvers in celebration of the Great Northern Arts Festival's 10th anniversary.

Western Arctic Visitors Centre supervisor Dayna Lennie stands beside a sculpture outside the building. The piece of art has been on display for the last 11 years and recently fell victim to vandals in the community. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

Lennie is in her second season as supervisor at the Western Arctic Visitors Centre.

She said the attack was senseless and has ruined the look of the soapstone carving.

"I don't get it. It is a great piece of art that is meant to be enjoyed by everyone," said Lennie.

Staff recovered two chunks of the soft dusty rock in the yard outside the centre.

"We usually find the missing pieces," said Lennie.

"The vandals just drop them in the nearby grass."

This was not the first time this sculpture was damaged. Vandals have been targeting it since the centre took the protective case off the piece.

Lennie said it was taken away because the plexiglass case was blocking visibility of the sculpture for tourists.

"People would come in saying that their pictures didn't turn out properly," said Lennie.

Repairs had been done by a few of the original carvers, Billy and Eli Nasogaluak.

"They glued some pieces back on a few years ago, and re-carved some areas to smoothen it out," said Lennie.

The cost of repairing the piece of artwork was more than $1,000.

"That is too much, and we might not be able to repair it again," said Lennie.

"We have been doing small repairs on it, but it's getting out of hand."

Some pieces have not been recovered, but if a chunk falls off, Lennie said she looks around for it in the yard.

Some of the damage could be attributed to weather, but Lennie said the changes Mother Nature makes are minimal.