No shaggy dog story as Inverness Angling Club members cement in Labrador sculpture within the curved walls of the controversial River Ness Gathering Place walkway in protest against Highland Council
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Fishermen angered by an “eyesore” riverside art installation are aiming to give Highland Council paws for thought after erecting artwork of their own.
Hackles were raised when the local authority commissioned the My Ness Gathering Place beside Inverness Angling Club’s century-old fishing beat opposite Ness Islands.
The club has now bitten back by cementing a chain-sawed wooden sculpture of a Labrador inside the arc of the structure’s concrete walkway.
The unauthorised move is being seen as a spot of ruff justice on behalf of Gathering Place opponents.
Steve Watt, the club’s vice-president, stressed the larch statue was “the nicest possible” protest and would “brighten the place up” for local walkers and visitors.
More than £790,000 from various public bodies was awarded to the Ness River art project, with the much-derided curved walkway completed last year.
Mr Watt said: “We’re saying to the council ‘this is art’, not that thing they’ve left us with.
“I’ve fished here since I was seven or eight years old and they’ve spoiled the place. The council pushed it through without a care for what the people of Inverness thought.
“We’ve already had half a dozen passers-by stop to say the sculpture is lovely.
“We’ll wait and see how the council receives it. This is a protest, in the nicest possible way – two fingers to them, really.”
There was fresh criticism of the council this week for cordoning off a re-seeded grass area at the site just as tourist numbers peak.
Tom De Blende (47), from Hamme in Belgium, stopped to take a look at the “nice” dog sculpture after strolling disinterestedly past the Gathering Place.
Mr De Blende said: “We just walked past it. That’s probably an indication, already, that we didn’t feel it was worth a visit.
“I don’t think it is art. Art for me is something very different. That is pretty plain, just concrete.
“If it is meant to be a place of gathering, I don’t see much gathering going on.”
Sheana Livingstone (72), from Crown, walks at the islands two or three times a week.
She said: “I think it is awful, especially for the fishermen. It’s a crying shame. It has spoiled the setting and the flow of the river. It is a waste of money. I look at it now and think ‘what is it for?’ If I had to choose between it and the Labrador statue, the dog would win.”
Dorothy France, a dog-walker from Drakies, said: “I’m glad this lovely wee dog has taken up residence here because I’m a dog person and for dog owners this is a wonderful place to come. I’d love to say it improves the monstrosity, but nothing could improve it.”
