IROQUOIS FALLS - An iconic statue located in a Northern Ontario town is at the centre of a debate over its future.
The Town of Iroquois Falls’ lumberjack statue is in need of repairs that would cost the town over $26,000. As a result, the town is grappling with whether to repair, relocate, or remove it.
The lumberjack statue was part of the original building complex on a property adjacent to Highway 11, now owned by Zieminski Real Estate Inc.
Our sister site TimminsToday reached out to the agency for comment but has not yet received a response.
Previously, the statue had received cosmetic repairs, but a full-scale rehabilitation is now needed.
According to a license agreement established on March 31, 2021, the town is responsible for maintaining and repairing the statue, which is showing signs of significant deterioration including surface wear, damage and fading paint.
A quote from Seguin's Handyman Services estimates the cost of restoring the statue to be $26,442. This estimate includes sanding, pressure washing, patching, priming, painting, applying a clear coat, renting a man lift and cleanup of the statue.
Since this expense was not included in the 2024 approved budget, if council decides to repair the statue, it will be funded from capital reserves.
The town council’s Sept. 9 meeting featured a hefty discussion about the statue's future. Council ultimately decided to defer the decision and plans to put a survey on its website to gather feedback from the community and explore funding opportunities.
Coun. Richard Charlebois expressed concerns about the cost and the statue’s public perception, citing its frequent mockery on social media. He questioned whether the $26,000 repair cost might be better spent on removal or other projects.
Coun. Gilles Giguere shared similar reservations, questioning the long-term financial implications of maintaining the statue, suggesting that alternatives, such as donation to another organization, should be explored.
“It's $26,000 this time. What is it next time? And then, how often are we going to be doing this,” he said.
“As much as it's nice to have cornerstones and things that represent who we are and where we come from and all that kind of stuff, I would like to see what would be the cost to remove it instead of going through with this.”
Coun. Jamy Bernier suggested that while preserving heritage is valuable, the statue’s location and visibility may not effectively support community engagement or tourism.
“I appreciate the men and women that worked at our paper mill and everything else. And we most certainly do not want to forget that aspect of our community,” he said.
“But I think if we spin it around and look at things like our museum, who's done a great job of commemorating those things, I don't think that a lumberjack on Highway 11 really does that for our community.”
Communities such as Cochrane, which is home to a large polar bear statue, benefit from having landmarks since they’re located directly along Highway 11, Bernier said.
“When you're stopping at that statue, it probably pulls you in to see what's inside that community. But, for us, the lumberjack resides on the highway buried in snow for most of the winter, next to what is now a real estate agency,” he said.
“I'm sure that we do still get some people who pass by and take a quick picture of it, because if I'm driving through Beardmore and I see a big white snowman, I also stop there. But other than doing that, it doesn't make me want to go visit Beardmore more than I already do.”
In contrast, Coun. Ben Lefebvre defended the statue’s significance as a tribute to the town’s historical forestry industry.
“The mill operated here and provided gainful employment for over 100 years to this community. I think it celebrates our heritage as a forestry-based community, and who knows what the future will bring,” he said.
“If it costs us $26,000 every 15 years to repaint it, I don't see that being a big cost, given what we pay for other issues or other things around the community… And I kind of like this idea, maybe polling the general population to see what they think about it.”
An unofficial survey conducted on a local Facebook group following Monday’s meeting revealed a divided community opinion. Nearly 200 residents have participated in the poll so far, with 80 voting for removal and 74 supporting relocation and repair.
It wasn’t specified when the survey will be added to the town’s website.
Watch the full meeting here.