Perth’s Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas has put forward a proposal to remove the iconic ‘green cactus’ sculpture from Perth’s city centre.
The sculpture from Western Australian artist James Angus was installed in 2011 after it won an international design competition with a prize of $1,000,000. Angus, who now resides in the USA, is an internationally acclaimed artist.
Writing in his weekly column in The West Australian newspaper, the newly re-elected Lord Mayor said it might be time for the sculpture to be removed.
Zempilas said the upcoming demolition of the Carillon Arcade at the opposite end of Forrest Chase would be an opportunity to rebuild the Forrest Place facilities.
“The impending Carillon Arcade demolition and redevelopment provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to remodel Forrest Place,” he said.
“It’s a grand old civic space but for much of the year it’s too harsh. We need more trees, more shade, and more grass to make it more inviting.
“And it might be time for the cactus to go.” Zempilas said.
While the Lord Mayor is describing the remodeling of Forrest Place as a ‘once-in-a-generation’ opportunity, the area was turned from a road to a pedestrian space in 1986, and the Forrest Chase building that homes department store Myer and the mall area were opened by Queen Elizabeth in 1988. The space underwent a $100 million in 2019.
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Perth’s Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas says it might be time to remove the ‘green cactus’ sculpture from Forrest Place.
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— OUTinPerth (@OUTinPerth) October 27, 2023
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OIP Staff
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