Sunderland's vandalised Keel Square sculpture, Propellers of the City, to be repaired 'by 2025'

The interactive glass and metal sculpture is called Propellers of the City, but often referred to by Wearsiders simply as "the wheel”.

It can be turned by hand and has been a popular addition, particularly with children, since it was unveiled on August 31, 2015.

It honours the heritage of both Sunderland’s glass and shipyard heritage. The structure features many photographs of those who worked in the yards. However, it was damaged by yobs in December 2021 and has been fenced off ever since.

Propellers of the City currently stands a few metres from The Peacock pub and the site of the forthcoming £27million Culture House, which is scheduled to open in early 2025.

Sunderland City Council has told the Echo that repairs of the piece have not been quick or simple, due to the highly specialised nature of the work required and the tendering process.

The sculpture will be taken away then restored when the Culture House opens, meaning that it will not have been in operation for over three years.

A council statement said: “As work on the new Culture House progresses and alongside the updates and new developments in High Street West, Keel Square and Riverside Sunderland, we are looking at repairing the propellers sculpture which was damaged by vandals in December 2021.

“Beginning the repairs was delayed and complicated because of the need to procure and tender these works with a specialised repairer.

“Arrangements for the repairs are now being finalised and, because of site works at the Culture House, the sculpture will be temporarily removed and then returned to position in 2025.”

The Culture House will stand on the site where the recently demolished buildings, including the former Corner Flag pub and Luciano’s restaurant, previously stood.

It will be a four-storey building overlooking Keel Square and will house a range of facilities for adults, children and young people, spaces for exhibitions, storytelling, learning, media and arts and crafts.

As well as adult and children’s library facilities, the venue will feature a café, business and faith spaces, a local studies and archive centre, an events hall and a roof garden.