Cazenovia — The giant willow basket in the willow patch off Mill Street was vandalized Sunday, Nov. 15, torn up off its foundation and tossed aside into the patch, as was a nearby wooden bench, likewise torn out of the ground and tossed aside. Cazenovia police have arrested a 23-year-old Cazenovia man for the crime, but have no further details on the arrest at this time, said Cazenovia Police Chief Michael Hayes.

The man was arrested Sunday and charged with criminal mischief, although the exact charge(s) will not be finalized until police speak with basketmaker Elizabeth Schoonmaker to determine the monetary value of the basket, Hayes said.

The Cazenovia Republican has spoken with the family of the suspect, who indicated that he has been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome; as such, the Republican has chosen to protect his identity.

“The Cazenovia Preservation Foundation is exploring with the artist, Elizabeth Schoonmaker, whether the basket can be repaired. At this time, we don’t know the answer,” said CPF President Carlos Gavilondo. “The basket has brought lots of attention (the overwhelming majority of it, positive) to the Willow Patch, and we hope to be able to continue that.”

Gavilondo said there have been other instances of vandalism within the Willow Patch area this year, although the basket damage was unfortunately “very visible.” He said the CPF is happy that people are enjoying the Willow Patch — despite some users being disrespectful to it — and the “bright side” to this incident is the knowledge that so many people in Cazenovia appreciate and enjoy the Willow Patch.

The CPF posted a picture and comment of the vandalism on its Facebook page on Monday, Nov. 16, stating, “CPF would like to thank the concerned neighbor(s) who called the police last night, putting a stop to the vandalization of the Willow Basket sculpture in the Willow Patch. We will work with the basket maker, Elizabeth Schoonmaker, to restore the piece.”

continued — This nine-foot-tall willow basket sculpture was placed in the Willow Patch in September 2103 by a dozen volunteers.

CPF Community Coordinator Kate O’Connor said she had little facts to share about the vandalism. “We would like to focus on the positive aspect of the events, which was that the community stepped in to save the sculpture,” O’Connor said.

The reaction to the news as posted on Facebook was swift and unanimous, with comments condemning the action and asking why someone would even do this:

“That is very sad! Why do people have to be so disrespectful?! Love the willow basket!” commented Letty Butterworth

“How disrespectful! That’s a magical place for our family. Glad the neighbors alerted police as well,” commented Catherine Shafer Upstate.

“Seriously? That is so sad,” commented Karen Reynolds.

Elizabeth Digiacomo, who runs the summer Cazenovia Youth Recreation Program and formerly ran the Project Café after school program in Common Grounds, also commented on the CPF post, saying she has been working to create a Creekside Trail Neighborhood Watch. “Please help make this trail less private to vagrants and more public to nature lovers. Let’s take it back. Since [Project Café] ended, it’s the new 3 to 6 p.m. hangout for kids after school.”

Digiacomo said she hopes that village walkers will “produce more traffic on the trail” and that anyone who sees any mischief on the trail will immediately contact the village police — both of these actions will hopefully help deter future vandalism incidents.

“Once the kids realize we are all looking out for them, they will move,” she said.

The Willow Patch is located between Carpenter’s Pond and Mill Street and is bordered on the south by the Chittenango Creek canal and walkway. The canal was built in the 1850s to channel Cazenovia Lake water flow into Chittenango Creek; before that, the water flowed through the wetland now known as the Willow Patch. This site once served as a mill pond in the early 19th century then it was drained and planted with willows providing material for the Syracuse region’s willow industry.

The CPF was gifted the Willow Patch in 1986 to be kept as open space and a sanctuary for wildlife; it was then gifted Carpenter’s Pond in 1987, also to be as open space as well as a recreational amenity for the community, according to CPF information.