Walsh clarified what he thinks isn’t clear: “We are building a more comprehensive, inclusive heritage park around it, but that monument is always going to be dedicated to our Italian American community and we need Italian Americans at the table to make sure what happens there is what they want.”
Decisions yet to be made are where the statue is moved to, what Italian American icon goes in its place on the monument’s obelisk and what the surrounding park looks like.
“There have been those that disagreed with my decision that have been incredibly divisive,” Walsh said, “and have, I think, gone out of their way to sew discord and confusion and misunderstanding about my intent and what we’re trying to accomplish as a community. I hope, at the right time, they will take a step back, understand, even if they disagree with me, I’m trying to do this in a respectful way and I’ve said from the beginning, everyone has a seat at that table if they’re willing to come to it.”
Syracuse.com, 11/03/2021
