The Wellington man who publicly admitted climbing and snapping a Len Lye sculpture on the waterfront after climbing it has been charged by police.

Hunter Macdonald has been summonsed to appear in court on a charge of intentional damage, police say.

SUPPLIED The sculpture has cost over $1m to install and maintain, and further repairs are already going to be an estimated six-figures.

Earlier on Wednesday police said he would be charged with wilful damage, but later confirmed he's now facing the more serious charge intentional damage and will appear in court on November 9.

Macdonald said yesterday in a video supplied to Stuff the incident had been born out of 'boredom' and a desire to show off.

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The Water Whirler sculpture, cost about $300,000 at the time of its installation in 2006, with installation costs the final bill exceeded $1 million. Another $200,000 has been spent on repairs since then. It was due to reopen this month.

SUPPLIED Hunter Macdonald has been charged with wilful damage after publicly admitting snapping Len Lye' Water Whirler sculpture.

Mayor Justin Lester called the incident a "pretty public display of stupidity".

SUPPLIED Hunter Macdonald, pictured on the rocks, suffered a head injury during the incident on October 8, 2018.

Wellington City Council spokeswoman Victoria Barton-Chapple said the council has submitted an insurance claim, but that the amount was commercially sensitive.

Len Lye's former assistant Roger Horrocks estimated the cost of fixing the sculpture "would be six figures".