Adelaide City Council takes steps to protect Gawler Place pigeon as elected members question cost
Gawler Place’s controversial steel pigeon has been given protection as some councillors claim they were kept in the dark over its cost.
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Steps have been taken to protect Adelaide’s controversial new pigeon from abuse as feathers fly between councillors over its $174,000 cost.
Adelaide City Council workers were dispatched to James Place this week to put a large planter box behind the stainless steel sculpture to stop skaters and scooter riders using it as a ramp.
Various videos appeared on social media showing people indulging in various acts with the pigeon – including one prankster attaching a large rubber sex toy – after it was installed under the cover of darkness 10 days ago.
The sudden appearance of the metallic bird, known as Pigeon, has divided public opinion, with many praising its design while others have dubbed it as an unsightly homage to birds seen as rats of the sky.
It also has further divided the already-divisive chamber of the Adelaide Town Hall, with the conservative Team Adelaide faction asking why elected members were not consulted about the cost of the public art project, implemented by council staff.
The pigeon and a large bronze sculpture were commissioned as part of a $450,000 budget approved in 2018 for public artworks as part of the eventual $18m rejuvenation of Gawler Place.
During debate about the council’s new cultural strategy, faction leader Alexander Hyde said staff had failed to provide the new council – elected in November 2018 – with updates, with the pigeon instead “just appearing overnight” in Gawler Place.
Cr Hyde obtained support to introduce a new system where staff would inform councillors if the cost of a piece of public artwork would exceed $100,000 — and then provide updates.
“While expenditure on public art for the Gawler Place upgrade was approved at approximately $450,000 in 2018 with the previous council, this council was not informed nor aware of the Pigeon project, or its cost,” he said.
“Nor were we ever consulted or ever given the chance to offer feedback on the expenditure.”
Cr Hyde said the timing was embarrassing, as Team Adelaide had ordered operational savings of $20m to be delivered this financial year, resulting in large numbers of council staff losing their jobs.
Chief executive Mark Goldstone announced on Monday that 83 fulltime positions would be made redundant, taking the total loss of jobs to 400 since March, including senior staff, casuals, contractors and trainees.
“Public art is meant to provoke a response, but there is a clear community expectation that we are responsible for approving the expenditure and yet we were never consulted on the price tag,” said Cr Hyde.
“I personally like Pigeon however I don’t wish to be tarred and feathered over a decision I did not make.
“This policy change will ensure we are accountable for the expenditure of public funds, as we always should have been.”
A spokeswoman said the council was aware of the community’s “robust interaction” with the pigeon and was monitoring its condition.
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