Prime Ministers Path could still cement its place in Wilmot

It’s up to the community and Wilmot council to decide if the Prime Ministers Path could still cement its place in the region.

Wilmot councillors decided in March to bring back the conversation, with the first community gathering scheduled for Nov. 12.

It’s been over ten years since the initial idea landed on Wilmot councillors’ doorsteps. It started with a group of citizens wanting to honour Canada’s political history.

After four statues went up, one — a statue of former prime minister John A. MacDonald — was vandalized with paint.

The project was paused by Wilmot councillors in 2021, citing recommendations of advisory firm First Peoples Group. Which at the time, recommended the “immediate removal and temporary storage” of the four remaining statues on the path, and the discontinuation of future expansion and investment in the path.

“How do we move forward as a community, around this issues that’s become a bit divisive,” Greg Clark, Acting CAO, Director of Corporate Services, Township of Wilmot, said.

The Town of Wilmot partnered with Land Use Research Associates Inc. (LURA) to get better feedback and public consultation about the Prime Minsters Path.

Two engagement consultants from LURA will be at the meeting, Benny Skinner and Denise Soueidan-O’Leary.

“If you were to look at the history of the project, what maybe was lacking at times was engagement and that’s what we’re trying to do right now. So, with LURA here, Benny and Denise are helping us engage with the community, and maybe that first step should have been taken before we said yes, as many years ago.”

“They want to see a resolution to this, because currently the statues are being stored in a facility and they really want to see a resolution on how we move forward,” said Clark.

Both consultants told 570 NewsRadio that the community should come out to learn about the project going forward and provide perspectives.

The First Community Gathering starts 4:30 p.m. and runs until 8 p.m. discussing the idea of restarting the project.

Community members are invited to drop in to the Wilmot Recreation Complex at 1291 Nafziger Rd., Baden to learn more.

Learn more on the town’s website.