The Samuel de Champlain monument is once again the scene of vandalism and controversy. However, this time, the five statues that make up the historic scene depicted in bronze were physically harmed. Samuel de Champlain statue vandalized within hours of resurrection A report made to Orillia council on Monday stated people had entered the current storage location of the large statues and vandalized them. In a press release today, staff says, “It appears that the criminals used various power tools and removed some portions of the statuaries and caused damage where unsuccessful attempts were made to cut through the material.” Orillia’s bylaw officers, in conjunction with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), are investigating the vandalism. “Police attended and observed damage to five statues associated with the Samuel De Champlain monument,” confirmed Ashley Taylor, the OPP’s regional media and communications coordinator. A person of interest has been identified and a removed piece of the bronze on the statue has been recovered. Council discusses Samuel de Champlain statue controversy “Extremely disappointed to hear that our historic Champlain monument has been vandalized, with Champlain himself sustaining damage. The statuary received extensive damage,” said Orillia Mayor Don McIsaac in a statement. “I believe the residents of Orillia deserve an explanation of how this was allowed to happen, what the full cost of the damage will be, and what steps will be taken to protect what remains,” he said.
