Calls for proposed controversial art project in Inverness 'to be put out of its misery'
Calls have been made for the controversial My Ness artwork "to be put out of its misery" after it emerged the much-delayed project has been put back yet again.
Installation of the work – featuring curved walls built either side of the River Ness near Bught Park – was supposed to begin last month.
But it has now been paused until next spring due to delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic and approach of winter, prompting calls from critics of the project for it to be scrapped.
In a scathing attack, city councillor Ron MacWilliam described it as an utter failure and called for an apology for the waste of public funds.
"This project has been doomed from the outset and no amount of trying to point this out has had the slightest impression on the My Ness cheerleaders," he said.
"It has been a chronic waste of time and money."
He said a commitment was given in August last year that no further public funds would be spent and the project would be completed in a 12-18 month timescale.
He had also been waiting several weeks for answers following pile testing on the river bank during preparatory work this summer as there seemed to be a technical problem.
"The time has come for this utter failure to be recognised as such, for the project to be put out of its misery once and for all and for the Provost of Inverness to issue an apology for this waste of public funds, including money spent from the Inverness Common Good Fund," Cllr MacWilliam said.
He said there had been a golden opportunity to build something spectacular but it had been blown on fees and design costs with nothing to show for it.
Helen Smith, of OpenNess agreed.
"It has been a bad idea from the start," she said. "People don't want it."
She speculated the test bore holes this summer had revealed the site for the artwork was on sand and gravel which would make it unsuitable.
City bed and breakfast owner Richard Paxton, who is also a member of Park Community Council, said the project had been a disaster from the start.
"It is time to scrap it," he said. "There are plenty of other jobs which are more important."
Inverness West councillor Bill Boyd also felt that given the latest setback, it was time to park the project.
"It seems to have been beset with problems from the outset," he said.
"My worry is that the more it goes on, the more money will be spent and it takes up officers' time."
Inverness councillor Isabelle Mackenzie, chairwoman of an arts working group involved with the scheme, said delays due to coronavirus and the time of year meant it was now paused.
The working group will meet later this month and a report is expected to go to the city committee in November.
"It will be on pause until the spring unfortunately," she said.
"It is still progressing."
Related story: Controversial artwork faces further delay
