Burnie councillors have voted against entering discussions around the possibility of changing the colour of the city’s new Welcome Gesture sculpture.
With a price tag of $1.25 million, community members have raised concerns about the controversial state government-funded sculpture in recent weeks after it won a selection process with just 80 votes late last year.
During a council meeting on Tuesday, the council was presented with a petition containing hundreds of signatures requesting a switch in the colour scheme from yellow to blue.
Mayor Teeny Brumby had hoped to reopen negotiations with the artists, especially after receiving thousands of votes on her Facebook page in favour of a colour change, but said it was ‘not meant to be’.
“At last nights council meeting we discussed in length the possibility of putting a hold on the current process to ask GHD to enter into discussion with the artist in an attempt to hear the communities wishes,” Brumby said after the meeting.
“After lengthy debate and cognisant of contractual obligations, council was not of mind to pursue this avenue.”
She said the gateway will proceed according to plan.
“What is clear, is that we must improve community consultation moving forward and our event on Saturday was a step in the right direction,” she said.
Design firm GHD said the yellow colour of the sculpture was carefully chosen to reference Burnie gardens and contrast with the landscape.
They said changing it could potentially breach copyright and contractual agreements, with the council on the hook for $500,000 if the plans were to be abandoned.
Construction on the sculpture is expected to begin next week.
