This seems kind of silly, a pointless dispute that just keeps going around and around. Still, there is an interesting question in it. What, exactly, constitutes art these days?
SOAP LAKE — Rick Froebe erected a backyard "fence." It's not a white-picket fence.
Instead, it's made of seven old toilets, a few used bathtubs and some broken down water heaters.
He said it's to "keep the golfers out" of his yard.
Froebe's home, 832 Canterbury Road, is nestled along Lakeview Golf & Country Club near Soap Lake. He watches closely from his back porch as golfers negotiate the green of the 354-yard, par-4 first hole.
"Choice real estate in Grant County," said Froebe, co-owner of Coulee Dam/Ephrata Plumbing.
On Monday, three scarecrow-like dummies sat on toilets and looked on as golfers finished their putts. The old commodes, bathtubs and water heaters first appeared on Halloween. The dummies came down for a few days, now they're back.
Froebe, who's owned the home for the previous 15 years, already had a backyard fence in place — the chain-link version. He claims it's not enough to keep golfers and neighborhood cats from getting his dogs all riled up.
Froebe contends the dogs get excited enough to start barking as players drive their golf carts near the green, search for their balls, chat, chip and putt. Neighbors began complaining about the barking.
Gerald Coulter, representing the country club's nine-member board of directors, called the situation "completely ridiculous." That's the consensus of the board, Coulter said, following last week's meeting.
"I've had several people call that were upset with (the 'fence'). It's an eyesore," Coulter said. "I'm surprised the health department hasn't been out there because of the used toilets and water tanks. It's not a sanitary condition."
The dispute, once over course rules, has morphed into a dispute over dogs barking and they just seem to be getting each other riled up. But oddly enough, Froebe, who calls his fence "plumber art", may not be all that far off the mark. There is a weird humor in the fence (click the link to look at a picture). Childish? Probably. Any worse than what is being passed off as art these days? No, not at all. But the "fence" does have a certain cohesion to it, even if it is being silly. Think about some of the "sculpture" you see in public places these days. Is this really any worse?
