Someone trashed an Eagle Scout project that pays tribute to the four Derby fire companies.
Two large, wooden picnic tables, with benches attached, were uprooted from their spot on the Derby Greenway sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning.
The tables were tossed down a slope into the Naugatuck River, where they were fished out by city public works employees.
Sure, it’s not the crime of the century — but the vandalism is particularly offensive since the tables and picnic area were created through the efforts of Derby teen Tyler Stankye.
Stankye, a Troop 3 Boy Scout scheduled to become an Eagle Scout Sunday, built the picnic area for the thousands of people who use the Derby Greenway.
The Greenway, also referred to as the river walk, stretches from downtown Derby to BJ’s Wholesale on Division Street. The tables are on the trail not far from the Route 8 north entrance ramp on Route 34.
The project went beyond community service for Stankye, who is a third-generation Eagle Scout.
His family’s history is closely tied to the city’s fire service, said Troop 3 Derby Scoutmaster Randal Ritter.
“Tyler’s family is very much associated with the Derby Fire Department. His father and the grandfather were past chiefs,” Ritter said.
Stankye and the Scouts he supervised built four picnic tables to honor each Derby fire company.
“The reason for the location (of the picnic area) is that it’s across the river from the Paugassett fire house that he and his family belong to,” Ritter said.
Eagle Scout projects typically take about 200 hours of work, which includes developing, planning and executing the project.
In addition to Stankye’s father and grandfather, his brother, Chuck, is an Eagle Scout — as are two uncles.
“It’s upsetting that this happened,” Ritter said.
The large tables were anchored into the ground, said Derby Public Works Director Ron Culmo.
“Somehow they got them out. I don’t know how they did it,” Culmo said.
Two of the four benches were tossed.
Lt. Sal Frosceno said a person walking on the Greenway reported the crime to police at 7 a.m.
Whoever did it took their time, as the two tables were literally bolted into the ground.
Police do not have any leads.
“It’s a shame, really because it is a nice project for the Greenway,” Frosceno said.
