The City of Kitchener is looking for the community to get involved with the decision on what to do with the statue of Queen Victoria located in Victoria Park.
The city says a number of community engagement activities will take place to allow for the unpacking of “multiple perspectives and options related to the statue’s future.”
Kitchener also notes that input from Indigenous, Black, and racialized community members will be prioritized over others.
To help with the task, the city says it says it has hired Jay Pitter Placemaking, a company which mitigates “growing socio-spatial divides across numerous North American cities. “
The events scheduled to facilitate discussion include an Instagram live session hosted by Jay Patter, witnessing circle at the Kitchener Market, a discussion of placemaking options as well as a closing circle and evaluation.
Global News has asked the city how much the program will cost, but has not received a response.
The statue, which was initially dedicated in 1911, has been splattered with red paint multiple times over the past couple of years. A report from city staff says it has cost $5,000 to clean the statue every time and Kitchener has spent $60,000 over the past 10 years to preserve and remediate the artwork.
In June, city council approved staff’s recommendation that a study be conducted on the future of the controversial Queen Victoria statue in Victoria Park.