It is a romantic legend dating back over 100 years to a woman in Hungary who lost her true love during World War I. In her grief, she placed locks on bridges at various places where she and the love of her life had spent time. It was a way of symbolizing that her love for him was unbreakable.
The legend continues
The tradition has continued on various bridges all over the world, including Helen, Georgia. Despite the romantic flare of sealing your love with a lock and tossing the key into the river, those who maintain and care for the safety of the bridges and those who cross them have grave concerns. Bridges in their development stages were not made to withstand the weight of the thousands of locks placed on them. And Helen is no exception.
“The locks add as much as 15,000 pounds to the bridge. When we cut them off after a weekend in Helen, we fill up several 5-gallon buckets weighing 150 to 200 pounds. Sometimes our employees are spending 15 to 20 hours during the week cutting them off only to have them return after the weekend,” explains Helen City Manager Darrell Westmoreland.
Problem-solving
The City of Helen contracted Owens Welding in Cleveland to create a balloon sculpture for couples to place their locks. The hot air balloon is a symbol for the city because of the Atlantic Balloon Race. You can find this work of art in MarketPlatz in the center of Helen.
The sculpture cost the city $12,500, but Westmoreland said, “It is money well spent when you compare the cost of removing the locks and keeping the bridges safe for pedestrians and vehicles to cross.”
“Around three years ago, placing locks on the bridge became a growing trend,” said Westmoreland. “Having the Balloon Sculpture since October for couples to place their locks has helped reduce the number of locks on the bridges.”
Placing a love lock in Helen
Locks can be purchased in various stores around Helen. There are regular locks and novelty locks, all to lock a couple’s love and throw away the key.
“We will be removing the guard rail fence under the bridge and replacing it with a wooden wall. It is currently covered with locks,” Westmoreland added.
It is a perfect time to visit Helen, with Valentine’s Day just around the corner. Stroll the streets, grab dinner at the many delicious eating spots, and profess your love with a lock and throw away the key- just don’t put it on the bridge. Use the balloon sculpture to be certain it will always remain.
