Cops, not bunnies: Newport Beach chooses enforcement over art park
Newport Beach officials are considering building a new police headquarters on land currently home to “Bunnyhenge,” a long-running public art installation that has drawn families and visitors for more than a decade. The public seems to side with art, while the city council is sure that land would be better served by housing cops who can do the same thing from anyplace.
The public art, commonly referred to as Bunnyhenge, has been a fixture of the Newport Beach art park for more than a decade. While some residents, especially kids, love Bunnyhenge, the bunnies have also sparked criticism. But the fate of the rabbits is unclear.
The city is now eyeing that land for development of a new police headquarters. Many residents are concerned about losing the bunnies, and the art park as a whole. But for city officials, the need far outweighs those concerns.
“Never, in my wildest dreams, did I think I would be sitting up here talking about the bunnies, but here we are,” Councilmember Sara Weber said in a March 10 meeting of the Newport Beach City Council, where possible locations for the new police station were presented. “So from a location perspective, central access is extremely important for police operations, response times and, in my opinion, maintaining a visible public safety presence in the center of our city.
How about they move the art? Have folks walk through the circle of bunnies on their way into Police Headquarters.