The Town of Huntsville has received a donated six-foot bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi, which will be installed on the west side of the Civic Centre.
According to a report presented to council on Nov. 24 by Jacqueline Surette, Manager of Recreation, Culture and Heritage, the Town will receive one of two bronze statues of Gandhi donated by the Consulate General of India.
“As a tribute to our leadership, our openness and respect for multiculturalism and diversity, it would be a source of pride and belonging for our residents,” said Surette.
The Consulate General of India is quoted in the report, saying the installation of the Mahatma Gandhi statue will strengthen cultural and people-to-people ties between India and the Muskoka region.
Furthermore, the consulate states it serves as a gesture of friendship and collaboration between the two nations, reinforcing their shared aspiration for a world guided by tolerance, justice, and goodwill.
Councillor Cory Clarke said he is concerned about accepting the donation as it can lead to a whole lot more requests for more statues of all different types.
“I’m not sure that our residents want to see multiple statues throughout Huntsville. And in the end, I guess my concern really is we’ll be responsible for them as a town, and we will have to insure them with taxpayer money,” said Clarke.
Surette answered by saying there will be no cost for the town to acquire the donation outside of regular maintenance and possible vandalism.
Councillor Dione Schumacher said even though Gandhi’s legacy includes mistakes that have led to his statues being taken down in the UK, she wants the new installation to be recognized for its promotion of peace and inclusiveness.
Surette said they have already consulted with multiple community organizations, including the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown BIA.
“There’s challenges with… putting something like this into the public realm,” she said. “If our values are inclusivity, respect, diversity, and if that is something that council chooses to accept and to celebrate through this piece, that would be appropriate in this situation to install the work on behalf of our community.”
As a result, the motion was almost unanimously approved by Council. Councillor Cory Clarke was the only member who did not support the approval.
