COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Christopher Columbus statue that once stood outside city hall is stirring fresh debate, five years after its removal during the nationwide reckoning over racial injustice.

The statue, gifted by Genoa, Italy, in 1955, was taken down in 2020 and placed in storage. Now, after two years of community engagement, the city’s Reimagining Columbus project is unveiling potential plans for its future.

“A lot of community conversations to talk about a lot of things, about heritage, about where people come from, about how people feel about symbols,” said Dan Williamson, a director with the project. “A lot of really deep conversations, a lot of uncomfortable conversations.”

The proposed vision includes relocating the statue to an open space with Indigenous elements. The layout wo

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