The Town Council last week accepted a new public art sculpture entitled “Great Blue Heron” but postponed a decision on where to install it.

A difference of opinion between the Public Art Committee and a group of citizens that have worked toward natural restoration of the islands in Fountain Lake gave the council reason to pause over location.

The sculpture cannot be placed within the park where there is easy access by children and others. The “feathers” on the metal sculpture are very sharp, according to Community Services Director Mark Mayer.

A proposal to place the sculpture on the island closest to the amphitheater in the northwest corner of the park met with resistance from the island restoration group, which felt the seven-foot heron sculpture would have a “scarecrow” effect on birds nesting on the island.

That dissension prompted a plan to move the location over the water by placing a large boulder in the lake that would leave the bird standing above the surface. That installation was proposed for the inlet on the lake adjacent to the amphitheater.

Mayer said he determined it would be too expensive to use a crane to place the boulder in the lake.

Mayer said the Sanitary District had offered the use of a crane it operates to place the boulder. However, that crane is not large enough to place the boulder far enough into the lake.

Mayer proposed a second location for placing the sculpture over the water where the crane could more easily get close to the shoreline. That site is behind the spillway at the southeast corner of the lake near the Veterans Memorial.

The Public Art Committee objected to this plan. Committee member Jerry Miles told the council they believe this site is too far removed from where people use the park and would not get the traffic necessary to encourage donations.

The sculpture is being placed with one year to collect the funds to purchase it.

Miles asked that the sculpture be placed on the island near the amphitheater.

Councilman Henry Leger had concerns.

“This (island preservation) group has done a lot of work related to the islands and I believe we need to respect their opinion,” Leger said. “They have donated a lot of time and costs in planting.”

Councilman Dennis Brown made a motion that they accept the sculpture but delay naming the location until they can do some more research.

Brown said he would investigate the possibility of getting a crane capable of placing a boulder in the proper location near the amphitheater.

When Mayor Linda Kavanagh asked who would pay for that, Brown said his goal would be able to get the work donated.

Vice Mayor Tait Elkie agreed with trying this approach.

“I think we can do this without ruffling any feathers,” Elkie said.