Alf Fletcher Park artwork nominated as a My Community Project

Well-known local artist Roger Buckman, who created the sheep outside of Tootsie cafe, is hoping to install a series of marble-like headstones from concrete, illustrating Yass Valley's history.

Viewers would discover a timeline covering aboriginal settlement to present day by walking along the sculpture, around 50-metres long and estimated to cost $99,220.

Mr Buckman was congratulated by councillors at Yass Valley Council's May 22 meeting for applying for My Community Project funding to bring local history alive.

The issue for some, however, is Mr Buckman's choice of headstones that could be mistaken for a graveyard by drivers entering Yass.

"It leaves me personally cold," Cr Jones said.

A local resident who attended the council meeting, but wished not to be named, said she thought the artist should consider a different shape for the sculpture, particularly because of the location, and that it would need interpretive signs.

My Community Project is an annual funding opportunity for locals.

Cr Frost said Mr Buckman was the only artist who applied for the funding and the council has endorsed his application with the majority of councillors voting in favour.

Cr Harker, Jones and McManus voted against.

Mr Buckman's application was processed quickly by the council to meet the funding's May 15 deadline.

"If we are going to have artwork at the gateway of our town, I strongly believe that we should have a more thought-out process that encourages more than one artist to put forward a policy," Cr Jones said.

Cr Frost disagreed.

"The opportunity was there for every artist to put in an application and they didn't," Cr Frost said.

Cr Turner said the sculpture's design could change.

"It's not set in concrete (pun intended), there will be a discussion if the application is successful before it goes ahead," he said.

Locals can vote for their favourite My Community Project from July 15 right here.