The revised budget for the Sutherland Entertainment Centre renovation includes a provisional sum of $100,000 for a new Indigenous artwork installation.
The new artwork is designed to compensate for the removal of the tiled mosaic water feature in adjoining Peace park, which the council has conformed will be scrapped.
The existing artwork, called The Whale Story of the Gweagle People, was created by artist Peter Day 13 years ago in consultation with Indigenous elders.
Sutherland Shire Council will discuss at its meeting on November 16 a staff report, advising the cost of the proposed Entertainment Centre refurbishment has risen by $7 million to $41.1 million.
The report said the revised budget included a provisional sum of $100,000 for a new Indigenous artwork installation.
A council spokeswoman said the refurbishment "includes modifications to Peace Park that will require the removal of the ponds and the associated mosaic art".
"These works are necessary to improve accessibility and the interface between the park and entertainment centre for both audiences and performers," she said.
"Following consultation with the artist, stakeholders and council's Aboriginal Advisory Committee regarding the removal of the pond, council will consider...the inclusion of a provisional sum of $100,000 for an Indigenous artwork installation to be incorporated as part of the project."
The spokeswoman said the existing water feature could not be relocated.
"An assessment of the site identified that deaccessioning this artwork is the only feasible course of action as the original structural base of the ponds were constructed in-situ with no extra rigidity included to allow for future relocation," she said.
"Contemplation of any form of relocation would be cost prohibitive and have a high risk of failure and damage to the structural base and corresponding artwork."
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