Public art tiles stolen out of sidewalk in Dedham, town says

Four art tiles were stolen out of a sidewalk at a new public pathway in Dedham, town officials said.

On Tuesday, the four tiles were discovered as missing out of Sawmill Park Pollinator Pathway, which is set to open next week, the Town of Dedham shared in a Facebook post. 

“This was not done by Town staff or by the artists involved and we are working to replace the tiles as quickly as we can,” officials wrote.

The tiles are part of the Biodiversity Art Walk, which features 40 vinyl sticker tiles designed by local artists on the Sawmill Lane Bridge and was funded through a grant from the Massachusetts Community Biodiversity Grant Program, the town said. 

The Town of Dedham is working to replace the tiles, and the Dedham Police Department will be monitoring the area to ensure the others are not stolen, the town said.

With or without the tiles, the ribbon cutting for the new public space will go on as planned at 5 p.m. on Aug. 19, the town said. The pathway includes pollinator habitats, educational signage, a community seed library, and new benches. 

“While this is not the uplifting story we want to share as we get ready to celebrate officially opening this new park, we would like to express our continued gratitude to the volunteers and artists who contributed their time and creativity, the staff who transformed this once overgrown space into an educational and peaceful area, and the many community members who supported this project and celebrated its opening,” the town wrote in the post.