Burnie Councillor Trent Aitken sings louder in chorus of the city’s Gateway Project detractors

“I would have preferred that 1000 local people drew their own design on an A4 piece of paper.” Those are the words of a Burnie Councillor as construction on a divisive and controversial $1.25m gateway project enters its final stages.

The Burnie Gateway Project sculpture is getting close to completion. Picture: Simon McGuire

A divisive new sculpture welcoming visitors to Burnie is taking shape.

Construction is well underway on the $1.25 million Gateway Project, funded through a state government grant.

The design of the sculpture at the intersection of Bass Highway and Wilson Street has been controversial, with Burnie Mayor Teeny Brumby even imploring her fellow councillors at a meeting in February to re-open the consultation process for the project.

However, the council voted down that idea due to “financial and contractual reasons” despite receiving a petition from 1500 ratepayers to reconsider the sculpture design.

The Burnie Gateway Project sculpture is getting close to completion. Picture: Simon McGuire

Burnie Councillor Trent Aitken has previously referred to the design as “cheese sticks” and “chips”.

“It’s something different for Burnie,” Mr Aitken told The Mercury.

“They are as big as what I thought they would be, but I’ve been told several times I know nothing about art.”

Mr Aitken said the lack of submissions during the public consultation process led to the implementation of the current design.

“I would have preferred that 1000 local people drew their own design on an A4 piece of paper, and they submitted that, and one of those local designs would be chosen for this project; that would have been my preference.

“But the people of Burnie didn’t get on board.

“They didn’t put their own designs in, and this is the design we have now.”

However, Mr Aitken said there were some positive aspects of the mixed community reaction to the sculpture.

“I had a discussion last night with someone about the new Gateway Project, and they said Burnie never changes.

“I think we actually need to start to do things in Burnie to make a change.”

Potential damage to the sculpture was a concern, though.

“We do have a high rate of vandalism in Burnie, and I can see it getting vandalised quite regularly,” Mr Aitken said.

“I hope it’s an amazing thing for Burnie. But if not, there is nothing we can do about it because they are going up anyhow.”