Lick of paint for controversial ark sculpture

Lismore's arty ark is getting a makeover this week with work beginning to paint the concrete support structure in a shade of blue.

The new Art sculpture of a boat, that cost nearly 300 000 dollars in Woodlark street, Lismore.Photo : Doug Eaton. Picture: DOUG EATON

LISMORE'S 'arty ark' is getting a bit of a makeover with a fresh lick of paint being applied to the concrete structure that holds up the almost $300,000 sculpture.

A Lismore City Council spokeswoman said the job to paint the ark supports should be finished by the end of the week.

Work on painting the supports of the ark started on Woodlark St today, the spokeswoman said.

Before undertaking the work, council consulted the artist who built the ark, Queensland sculptor Paul Johnson, to discuss what colour paint should be used on the concrete supports.

Mr Johnson suggested the structure should be painted blue, to go with the electricity substation box near the ark, the spokeswoman said.

The support structure of the ark will cost $3500 to be painted by a contractor, which is being paid for with left over money from the Woodlark St upgrade budget, the spokeswoman said.

When the controversial piece was installed in the Lismore CBD in 2014, ratepayers questioned how council could spend almost $300, 000 on the sculpture.

During a 2014 visit to Lismore, NSW Premier Mike Baird asked MP Thomas George 'what is that monstrosity' when he noticed the ark while driving across the Wilsons River from a function at the Winsome Hotel.

Mr Baird was even more aghast when he was told the sculpture cost council almost $300,000.