Cardiff Council is to replace a stolen statue by a famous Victorian sculpture next week.
The little boy named ‘Joyance’ by Sir William Goscombe John, has been missing from Thompson’s Park since July 2010 after thieves broke into the park and cut it from the water fountain where it stood.
Since then careful consideration has been given to protecting the 4.5ft replacement statue and additional security measures have been put in place.
Sir William was from Canton, Cardiff and was one of the most prominent 19th Century sculptors.
He designed the original ‘Joyance’ in 1899 as well as statues of Lord Ninian which can be found in the City Centre, and ‘The Elf’ which lies in St Fagans.
His statues and monuments can be seen in many places in the UK and abroad, including Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s and Llandaff cathedrals.
Thompson’s Park is one of Cardiff’s oldest parks, located in the Canton area. It has a distinct identity, with a safe and welcoming atmosphere.
The park has a wide range of facilities and other attractions. Areas of woodland are mixed with open grassed areas and ornamental planting to create an area full of variety.
Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Nigel Howells said: “The Joyance statue is an important characteristic of Thompson’s Park and I am very pleased that it is being reinstalled.
“The theft of the statue was a selfish and mindless crime which deprived local residents and visitors to the park of a well-loved feature.
“Cardiff Council treated the matter very seriously and extra security measures have been put in place to ensure thieves are detracted in the future.
“Thompson’s Park is one of the many beautiful parks we have in the city and I welcome everyone to come and see the greatly missed ‘Joyance’”.
For more information about Cardiff’s parks please visit www.cardiff.gov.uk
