‘Irreplaceable’ – and stolen: Arbor Heights bench honoring a baby

| Arbor Heights | Crime | West Seattle news

This marble bench graced ARK Park at 42nd SW and SW 102nd in Arbor Heights, in memory of a little life lost, until a heartbreaking discovery: Someone has stolen it. They had to have known it was a memorial, given this plaque:

Allexandra Ramona Kimball is the park’s namesake and inspiration; as noted here in 2009, the first anniversary of her birthdate was the day ground was broken for the park. While the land is owned by neighboring Arbor Heights Community Church – which also operates ARK Preschool in her memory – it was created for the entire neighborhood, and has been the site of block parties and other celebrations. The bench is described as “irreplaceable to those who were affected by her short, sweet life.”

Westside October 7, 2015 (10:49 pm)

Unbelievable. Some people are completely, utterly without shame.

JTB October 8, 2015 (7:18 am)

The term “karma” refers to the deep impressions (samskaras) that are formed in one’s psyche as a result of various actions, good and bad. You can’t escape it. It lifts you up or weighs you down.

HelperMonkey October 8, 2015 (8:27 am)

Disgusting and awful that someone would steal that. I’ve learned in AH if it’s not nailed down it will be stolen. I will keep an eye out while walking in the neighborhood. I hope it’s found!

Curate October 8, 2015 (10:07 am)

Karma is a b**ch. Or in this case a bENch.

maybe it'll be returned October 8, 2015 (3:26 pm)

That’s sad for those folks.

Maybe it will be returned – like the gifted toys to Ercolini and junk toys at Westcrest. Somebody might have needed it temporarily and thought it was a gift to be borrowed and then returned because it was found on the peoples’ park which has no real ownership anyway.

It could be that somebody from that group decided it needed to be relocated to a more meaningful location for a time. You just can’t know.

Or it could be somebody has someone sick or dying at home and needs a place for that person to sit and they just can’t afford a strong bench themselves.

It could be an act of charity and nobody will ever really know. It might not be a crime, it might be dire need to take the loving karma behind the bench to a place which needs much loving karma.

How can you know?

arbor heights mom October 8, 2015 (7:20 pm)

What a shame. This park is such a wonderful way to memorialize a child and my family uses it all the time. We love the bench and the grassy area and running into other families whose younger children play on the play structure. I do hope the bench is returned. It’s hard to imagine how someone was able to move it without being noticed given it’s made of marble.

I hope it is returned.

Lez October 8, 2015 (10:35 pm)

Totally sucks

ScubaFrog October 9, 2015 (2:07 pm)

I still can’t believe someone stole this. I’m just beyond words.
–
Baby Alexandra’s memory is in my heart, thoughts and prayers. The park is such a loving, thoughtful, selfless memorial to Alexandra – and no one can ever steal that. I hope the bench is found.

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