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45°53′59.2″N 64°30′59.7″W / 45.899778°N 64.516583°W | |
Location | Dorchester, New Brunswick, Canada |
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Designer | Robin Hanson |
Type | Semipalmated sandpiper sculpture |
Material | Steel, fibreglass, epoxy |
Height | 2.4 m (7.9 ft) |
Weight | 135 kg (298 lb) |
Dedicated to | The Shepody Bay |
Shep is a large sculpture of a semipalmated sandpiper in Dorchester (now part of Tantramar), New Brunswick, Canada. Its name is derived from the nearby Shepody Bay. The current steel, fibreglass, and epoxy sculpture was created by Robin Hanson and installed in 2023 as a replacement for the original wooden version by Monty MacMillan, which stood from 2001 to 2020.
Shep depicts a semipalmated sandpiper and is made of steel, fibreglass and epoxy. It stands 2.4 metres (7.9 ft) tall and weighs around 135 kilograms (298 lb). It was installed on April 8, 2023, as a replacement for a previous wooden version. [1] [2] Shep is named after the nearby Shepody Bay, an extension of the Bay of Fundy to which many semipalmated sandpipers migrate during the summer. [3] The sculpture is considered by locals to be an important symbol of the community. [4]
The original wooden sculpture, made by Monty MacMillan, [1] was installed in 2001. [5] [6]
In 2020, the Dorchester village council approved funding for repairs to Shep and for the construction of a viewing platform for it. The sculpture was removed so that MacMillan could make the repairs. In 2021, MacMillan discovered that the wooden sculpture had started rotting. Later in the year, all of his tools were stolen, further delaying the repairs. [1] [7] MacMillan referred Dorchester mayor Debbie Wiggins-Colwell to French Lake-based artist Robin Hanson, who was subsequently commissioned to create a new steel, fibreglass, and epoxy version of Shep, [8] at a cost of $9,300. [4]
On January 1, 2023, as a result of the 2023 New Brunswick local governance reform, Dorchester was amalgamated with Sackville into the newly formed town of Tantramar. The new town council considered paying Hanson to be a lower priority, [9] causing individuals and organizations to attempt to raise funds themselves to cover the cost of the replacement sculpture. [8] [10] On April 8, 2023, the new version of Shep was transported to Dorchester and installed by local volunteers—not by municipal officials. [8] This was well-received by residents, [11] but caused controversy within the new council. Former Dorchester council member Wiggins-Colwell supported the installation of the new sculpture, while other officials, such as Tantramar mayor Andrew Black, considered it to be an insurance and liability risk to the municipality. [12] [13]
After complaints of violations of the municipal code of conduct were made against Wiggins-Colwell, [3] Montana Consulting was hired in October 2023 to do a third-party investigation. The work by Montana Consulting, which cost the municipality $19,167.11, [14] culminated in a report that substantiated violations by Wiggins-Colwell, such as a "failure to respect the decision-making process and follow policies, procedures and bylaws." [14] Former Dorchester deputy mayor Kara Becker criticized the investigation, calling it a "witch hunt" [3] and "an embarrassment for the municipality". [14]