KITCHENER -- Wilmot Township still hasn’t made a decision about the fate of the Sir John A. Macdonald statue in Baden, but it is reviewing its options for removing and storing the controversial piece of art.

The statue has sparked ongoing debate over the Prime Minister’s legacy.

Over the past few months there have been sit-ins, protests and on several occasions, red paint has been thrown onto the statue.

Some have asked for its removal, while others say it should remain part of the Prime Minister’s Path at Castle Kilbride.

It’s not clear when council will make a final decision on the statue’s future, but at a meeting Monday night they will discuss a new staff report outlining three options.

The first would include the removal of the bronze sculpture and relocation to a township-owned facility.

The estimated cost of this option is between $9,650 and $10,650.

However staff say it would present additional issues, as the township doesn’t currently have available storage space. Four more statues were set to be installed on the Prime Minister’s Path in June but that event was cancelled due to the pandemic. As a result, the township already has the four other statues in storage and finding space for the Sir John A. Macdonald statue will be challenging.

The second option would also include the removal of the statue and its relocation to a rented storage facility. The cost to the township is estimated between $11,750 and $12,750.

The report suggests that if this option is chosen, they also find a space where they can also store the other four statues as well.

The last option, and the least expensive, would see the statute moved to the northern portion of the Prime Minister’s Path.

The report says that the stature would not need special crating, transportation or storage costs.

If council chooses this last option, unidentified members of the public have offered to the pay for the relocation. However the township would still bear the cost to repair or remove its existing concrete base.

The total cost for the third option is estimated between $7,500 and $9,500.