Councillor Debbie Wiggins-Colwell with Shep

Tantramar Councillor Debbie Wiggins-Colwell says she’s pleased to hear that a non-profit group will be working with the town and its citizens to design a plaque for Shep, the giant shorebird sculpture in Dorchester’s Village Square.

“I’m so excited about that happening,” Wiggins-Colwell said in an interview today with Warktimes.

“It’s very important for our community and for the awareness of the semi-palmated sandpiper.”

She was referring to news that the Fundy Biosphere Region, a non-profit group that promotes conservation and tourism, is working with town staff to design the plaque.

In an e-mail to Warktimes, Naomi Meed, Fundy Biosphere’s strategic engagement manager added that her group will also solicit feedback from the community about the plaque’s design and content on Saturday, August 9th during this year’s Sandpiper Festival in Dorchester.

Among other things, the plaque is likely to say that the Fundy Biosphere Region paid for the $9,300 statue and that it was created by Robin Hanson, the artist who operates a workshop, art gallery and historical theme park in French Lake, near Oromocto.

Hanson had been approached by then Dorchester Mayor Debbie Wiggins-Colwell to create a fibreglass replacement for the original wooden Shep in time for the 2023 Sandpiper Festival celebrating the return of the shorebirds to the Bay of Fundy in August.

But when the newly amalgamated municipal council and staff seemed uninterested in restoring the Shep statue, Wiggins-Colwell had it installed herself leading to code of conduct complaints against her and a $19,000 investigation that concluded, among other things, that she did not follow proper municipal procurement policies.

(During her successful campaign for a Tantramar Council seat, Wiggins-Colwell had promised to have Shep returned to the $15,000 concrete platform, stairs and railings that the Village of Dorchester had already built for it.)

Shep ‘touch-up’ needed

Meantime, artist Robin Hanson says he’d be happy to come to Dorchester to touch Shep up free of charge.

He explained that ultra-violet sunlight can damage outdoor sculptures like Shep.

After viewing some photos that Warktimes sent to him, Hanson e-mailed to say he noticed some yellowing and a brownish tinge.

“Some sandpipers are very white on the underside,” he writes. “If we lightly sanded the smooth surfaces and sprayed with white paint, it will look much brighter.”

Hanson added that a “little face-lift” for statues like Shep is needed every couple of years.

He said he can’t tell from the photos if  the fibreglass Shep needs another coat of clear epoxy.

“Just say the word and I will come and assess,” he writes.

Tourism & science

Councillor Wiggins-Colwell says the Shep statue draws tourists from all over the world who come to the Dorchester area every August  to observe the return of the migrating shorebirds to the Bay of Fundy.

“Last year, we had over 200 scientists and shorebird watchers from about 20 countries who had their photo taken with Shep,” Wiggins-Colwell said. “So it just lets you know how important this is to have Shep here.”

Meantime, she and her husband have created four smaller Shep statues that welcome people to Dorchester.

“We have something very unique in our little community, so we do have to celebrate it,” she says.