Champlain statue remains in storage in Orillia, but of interest to Champlain, Que.

The bronze statue of Champlain is now in storage at a city works yard after its presence caused controversy.

It’s been nearly a decade since Champlain was taken down for restoration.

The controversy around the historical figure’s treatment of Indigenous people has kept the statue from returning.

The pedestal was torn down in the years since, and the statue was in indefinite storage.

Then, without warning, it returned to the plinth in Couchiching Beach Park little over a month ago.

The statue was vandalized and wrapped in a tarp and fenced off but left in place for what Mayor Don McIsaac called “storage.”

Just three weeks after its return, it was unceremoniously taken down and put back in storage out of sight.

Now there are several groups that, if Orillia doesn’t want it, will take the statue for themselves. That includes the municipality of Champlain in Quebec, which has already reached out about to Orillia.

Sébastien Marchand, mayor of the municipality of Champlain said, “We will be passing a motion at our city council to support our request and perhaps follow up with mayor McIsaac and Orillia to see if they’d be willing to sell us the statue.”

Aside from the 13 letters expressing interest, McIsaac included in a council information package two weeks after the statue went down, he says more have come forward since.

“We’ve had an overwhelming outpouring of support for the monument, mostly from Quebec. Several people want it. We’ve had about 30 inquiries willing to take it,” said Orillia Mayor Don McIsaac.

According to the municipality of Champlain’s mayor, they have not heard back from Orillia about their request to take it.

“Council doesn’t seem to have the appetite to deal with it at this point,” said McIsaac.

McIsaac says he thinks the statue still has community support.

“This community overwhelmingly supports the monument and wants it returned. you know, it remains to be seen what happens. There are obviously options in terms of what can happen, but right now it’s in storage, which, nobody sees. and that’s just not right,” he said.

It’s not clear what will happen with the statue, but the plinth in the park, once the home of the monument to controversial Canadian founder, will remain empty for some time.