Revealed: Mayor’s position on costly save for the Rusty Chook
Mayor Tom Tate has revealed an alternative plan for the Kirra Eagle or “Rusty Chook” which could save ratepayers from a possible $500,000 bill to replace the iconic sculpture. WHAT DO YOU THINK? VOTE IN OUR POLL
Gold Coast
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MAYOR Tom Tate says he is opposed to ratepayers paying up to $500,000 to replace the Kirra Eagle or “Rusty Chook” which overlooks one of the city’s most favour surfing breaks.
The Bulletin in an exclusive report earlier this week revealed council was considering three options after consultants found the eagle, which stands atop 4m twin steel beams angled into a concrete base, has less than five years remaining life.
An exclusion fence has been installed around the sculpture due to falling pieces of steel.
Cr Tate told the Bulletin: “Ratepayers will not cop a bill for up to $500,000. Excuse the pun but it simply won’t fly and if we put that sort of figure out to the community, the project is doomed to fail.
“This is a fantastic chance to reach out to the business and philanthropic community to ask them what they can do. It may be that a steel supplier can gift all the steel, a university or private civil engineering firm can oversee the manufacture of a new structure and an artist, or community arts group, can drive the project.
“True community input saw this eagle fly in the 1980s. My view is we should look to channel that again.
“Trying to precisely replicate the eagle could cause issues — from a moral copyright viewpoint and for the family of the artist — but my strong view is we should get smart about how we can ensure art like this is not lost to our city.’’
Councillors at the lifestyle and community committee meeting on Thursday had planned to consider the following three options:
• Rehouse the sculpture at a cost of $20,000.
• Create a new sculpture at a cost of $500,000 which would take about two years to complete.
• Commission a replica at a cost of between $300,000 to $500000 which would ease community concern but create the need for ongoing maintenance.
A poll of Gold Coast Bulletin readers revealed opinion was split on the matter, with 45% favouring the first option and 43% voting to commission a replica.
Only 12% favoured replacing the Kirra Eagle with a new sculpture.
Councillors at the committee meeting voted to defer the debate until the next full council meeting on November 24.
The delay would enable the Mayor to consider an engineering and safety report, and provide time for potential industry backers to make offers.
Committee chair Hermann Vorster said area councillor Gail O’Neill had secured $300,000 to improve the precinct which should be supported with “a rational decision about the future of the sculpture”.
EARLIER: REPLACEMENT COULD COST $500,000
RATEPAYERS could face a half a million dollar bill to replace the Kirra Eagle or “Rusty Chook” which overlooks one of the Gold Coast’s most famous surfing breaks.
In March this year council for safety reasons began investigating the popular artwork created by Gold Coast artist Craig Medson in 1983. Ms Medson died in 2015 but his estate retains copyright and moral rights to the work live on for 70 years.
Council officers in a report said the sculpture was constructed from 6mm ‘Austen One’ plate steel and its distinctive ‘rust patina’ results from protective surface oxidation that develops during exposure to the atmosphere.
The eagle stands atop 4m twin steel beams angled into a concrete base.
Council, responding to safety concerns, commissioned Blue Skye View and their consultants found the Rusty Chook has no more than five years remaining life and “repairs and replacement of degraded sections would cause the artwork to lose its integrity and original intent”
Given the typical lifespan of most public art is 30 years, a peer review found the artwork had performed very well in the extreme conditions but could not be saved.
An exclusion fence has been installed around the sculpture due to falling pieces of steel, and consultants recommended relocating the structure indoors with “appropriate climate controlled conditions”.
“From this perspective, all options for retaining the sculpture in its current position or any other public space are exhausted,” officers in their report said.
Councillors at a lifestyle and community committee meeting on Thursday will consider the following three options:
• Rehouse the sculpture at a cost of $20,000.
• Create a new sculpture at a cost of $500,000 which would take about two years to complete.
• Commission a replica at a cost of between $300,000 to $500000 which would ease community concern but create the need for ongoing maintenance.
Council officers have begun talks with the Mr Medson’s partner about copyright.
They believe the best option is the first one. It would include putting a Sea Eagle graphic design in the new Kirra Hill picnic shelter with a plaque celebrating the original.
Surfers interviewed by the Bulletin want a suitable replacement and better promotion along with access to the art work.
Kirra Surfriders Club President Paul Sheehan said his club and other locals would be fundraising to ensure a suitable replacement for the much loved local art work.
“It’s so iconic, we’ve used it for the team challenges since ‘89. It’s on our posters, it’s our club logo,” Mr Sheehan said.
“There’s a lot of interest in keeping it there, I’ve even had someone call from the UK asking what’s happening.
“We’re in the fight, we’re doing what we can. Our local member of council is keen for it. Other members are keen for it. We’ll be watching the whole way to make sure it’s going to happen.”
Mr Sheehan dismissed concerns about the cost of replacement art work.
“Ideally the eagle could stay but that’s not the case. For something that is iconic as the eagle, which has been there for 30 odd years, something needs to be done,” he said.
Kirra surfers Steve, 46, and Jason Lee, 20, weren’t as concerned about the eagle but the father and son said it would be nice for the area to be left alone.
“The council keeps trying to change the area. Look at the dredges and the talk of a super bank,” he said.
“They should just leave things as they are and stop spending money on changes.”
Local couple Alma and David Tyndall said any funding should go towards better access to the eagle.
“No one knows it’s there. There needs to be better signage for visitors wanting to see the eagle,:" Mr Tyndall said.
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