The once stolen West Seattle Rotary Club totem pole is back. Placed on the site adjacent to the West Seattle Golf Course where it was originally situated the totem pole has now been completely restored.

It returned to the site today after the Rotary Club of West Seattle oversaw the pole’s refurbishment by Artech.

CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE TO SEE BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS

“We couldn’t be happier to have the totem pole back in the park,” said Acting Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams. “We’re grateful to the Rotary Club of West Seattle for their continuing support of the park.”

The pole, carved by Robin Young for the park, has graced the site since Rotary Viewpoint, a project of the Rotary Club of West Seattle, opened to the public in 1976.

After the mysterious theft, the West Seattle Blog alerted Seattle Parks and Recreation. Parks verified that the pole had not been removed for maintenance or other official reasons, and notified Seattle police, who in turn found it on a trailer in Keizer, Oregon, outside Salem.

The pole was damaged, and Rotary, under an agreement with Parks, has overseen the repairs by Artech, a local company specializing in the handling, restoration, and display of art.

The reinstallation of the pole took place today, and a community celebration will follow on Tuesday, August 10