Roselle turns down carhop statue request

It doesn't look like a carhop statue will be skating its way into Roselle's downtown.

The life-size statue on roller skates, which the Roselle History Museum wanted to erect in its new Town Center, got the boot from village officials.

Earlier this year, the museum started raising money for the project. But the village won't give the project the necessary permit.

"This is a total heartbreak," history museum member Kay Cahill said. "I was stunned."

But village officials said museum members jumped the gun and ignored the village's opinion and direction.

"We love the idea of public art," Mayor Gayle Smolinski said. "But the idea of a statue of a carhop was not one we were comfortable with."

Smolinski said the museum approached the village about the project last April and received an unenthusiastic reply.

"We gave a clear message, but apparently it wasn't communicated," she said. "I think there was some miscommunication."

The museum wanted to pay homage to one of the village's iconic establishments -- Shirl's Drive-In. The old ice cream and burger place was one of the last businesses to close its doors along the Main Street strip before the village started redevelopment in 2000.

"We feel it was a wonderful idea," Cahill said. "We were going to pay for it ourselves. I think it would be a wonderful thing for our downtown."

Smolinski said many board members felt that a carhop doesn't represent Shirl's history or life in Roselle.

"I've lived in town for 32 years and I don't see a connection. I don't remember carhops," Smolinski said. "It may have happened at a brief period, but it didn't capsulate what Shirl's is all about."

A statue of a boy or a girl with a baseball bat on his or her shoulder holding an ice cream cone would be a better representation of Shirl's, she said. The business was a popular place to visit after baseball games, she said.

But the museum already organized a fundraiser for the project. Now it's offering people who bought raffle tickets a refund. The raffle drawing will take place at an open house Saturday at the museum, 39 E. Elm St., Roselle. Refunds will be given until Saturday.

"Nobody so far has asked for a refund, but we want to give them the option," Cahill said.

Proceeds from the raffle will be used to benefit other museum programs, she said.

People who want a refund can call the museum at (630) 351-5300.