The first thing that 7-year-old Della Mertens told her mom when they pulled into the park, “Cinderella’s back!”
“I felt happy because other kids could play with her,” Della said.
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Cinderella was added to the park four years ago to complete the pumpkin carriage that’s been in the park since the 1960s.
Since its debut in 2014, Cinderella has been vandalized and stolen — more than once. During one of the thefts, she was recovered behind a drive through on East Main Street.
The most recent theft was in May 2018.
“It’s really sad that someone would do something like that,” said Springfield mom Sarah Kouse. “The kids really enjoy it. They love coming out to the park.”
National Trail Parks and Recreation District Executive Director Leann Castillo said after the cutout wasn’t returned, an anonymous donor put up the money for another Cinderella, and the parks district crews have made modifications to make sure this time — she stays put.
She said the donation to replace Cinderella speaks to how much people in Springfield and Clark County have come to adore the park — noting the countless wedding pictures, prom pictures and intergenerational memories that are shared there on a daily basis.
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“It’s such an iconic piece of Veteran’s Park,” Castillo said. There are some little kids that, every day they come to this park or they go by this park and they wanna make sure Cinderella is in place.”
Castillo couldn’t disclose all of the new security measures for the cutout, but said Cinderella has been moved to a sturdier spot in the park and bolted down tight — even more so than before.
She asked that people respect the cutout and the joy that Cinderella and her carriage brings to the community.
“We just ask everyone to remember that when they do things like (stealing), it’s not just a fun exciting thing to do. It’s affecting so many people in our community,” Castillo said.
In addition to the return of Cinderella, the pumpkin carriage and its horse have been freshened up with paint.
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