Scores of people have signed a newly-launched petition opposing a publicly-funded £300,000 artwork on the banks of the River Ness.
The protest is being led by a campaigner who has previously hampered Highland Council’s proposed £500,000 “golden cladding” idea for the city museum and art gallery, spending on a host of other costly art installations and its multimillion-pound West Link bypass scheme.
Two city councillors last night waded into the debate, one of them branding the authority “bloody-minded” for pressing ahead with the “tilting pier” artwork despite objections.
A council arts working group is now looking at a spot for the rocking platform beside Eden Court Theatre, having bowed to public opposition to siting it at Friars Shott in Huntly Street.
Online petitioner Donald MacKenzie, of the city’s Crown Drive, urges the council to “rein in the artwork group and reject this proposal”.
The chartered accountant said he had no problem with the aesthetics of the design, but was worried about the cost.
He said: “Public sector money is still our money.”
City councillor Jim Crawford said: “We consulted. The overwhelming verdict was that people don’t want this thing. It would blight a beautiful river that’s the envy of many cities.”
Persisting with it, he said, was “bloody-minded”.
Fellow councillor Donnie Kerr agreed and said: “I don’t blame people for setting up a petition to ask what the heck’s going on.”
Thomas Prag, co-chairman of the Inverness City Arts working group overseeing the various projects, insisted there had been consultation at every stage.
He said: “Folk may have forgotten that the brief was based on feedback from extensive consultation with the public who said they wanted interactive artwork to reflect the river’s importance as a gathering place.
“The feedback highlighted concerns about cost and location – both understandable.
“The funding is largely coming from (government agency) Creative Scotland and the Inverness Common Good Fund and specifically allocated for the river arts project.”
The pier project is part of a wider £760,000 artworks programme commissioned by the working group.
It secured £305,600 from Creative Scotland and £66,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The common good fund will contribute £280,750 and the council will pay £106,000.