A CONTROVERSIAL artwork costing £127,000 is set to be unveiled at Ely s riverside on Sunday. The unveiling of the artwork called Sluice has been billed as a family fun day and will be centred round The Maltings between 2pm and 5pm and will mark the 60th

A CONTROVERSIAL artwork costing £127,000 is set to be unveiled at Ely's riverside on Sunday.

The unveiling of the artwork called Sluice has been billed as a family fun day and will be centred round The Maltings between 2pm and 5pm and will mark the 60th anniversary of flooding which devastated Ely. The space age artwork, created by artist Lulu Quinn, celebrates the construction of Denver Sluice across the Great Ouse, which prevented the riverside from flooding.

Sluice responds to live data from the Environment Agency using light and video footage to represent how much water is flowing through Denver Sluice and local locks.

The Arts Council contributed £97,500 to the project while £27,500 came via East Cambridgeshire District Council from money provided by developers. A council spokesperson stressed that money did not come from taxpayers and was always destined for cultural enhancement of the city.

Ely Perspective, a group dedicated to the regeneration of the city, contributed £2,000.

Miss Quinn said the work itself cost £85,000 and the rest of the money was spent on consultations and educational programmes.

Ely district councillor Jackie Petts, who was opposed to the project from its inception, said: "I'm not really qualified to talk about the arts but I just think it's a daft place to put something like that. My daughter was walking past when they were constructing it and when she came home she said to me they were building a barbeque down by the Maltings."

Councillor Sheila Friend Smith, who sat on the panel which selected the artist, said: "It's not exactly what I thought it was going to be. The price of steel has gone up substantially since the project began and the budget was restricted so it is smaller than originally planned. But you have to allow for an artist's concept to develop and I'm pleased we can finally celebrate the day."

n WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Let us know what you think of Sluice. Write to: The Ely Standard (Sluice) 38 Market Street, Ely, Cambs, CB7 4LS or email: editor@ely-standard.co.uk