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The �첥��Ƶ announces an agreement has been reached between the �첥��Ƶ, the City of Chicago and the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans (JCCIA) to resolve litigation over the removal of a Christopher Columbus statue from Arrigo Park in July 2020. The City, as the owner of the statue, will loan it to the JCCIA to display inside a building in Chicago that the JCCIA is redeveloping pursuant to the terms of the settlement agreement.   
Additionally, following the recommendations from the Chicago Monuments Project, the �첥��Ƶ will remove the plinth that anchored the Grant Park Columbus monument restoring public access to this section of Grant Park, and facilitating a process to determine which new public art will call this corner of Grant Park home. 
 
“The �첥��Ƶ is committed to diversifying our statuary to ensure we are honoring Chicago's rich history and diversity,” said Parks’ General Superintendent and CEO Ramirez-Rosa. “To that end, we look forward to convening the process to determine which Italian American will be honored at Arrigo Park, and which artworks will replace the Grant Park plinth. Throughout these processes, we will continue to engage Chicago’s diverse communities.” 
 
Now that the litigation has concluded, the City and the Park District can begin the process of commissioning a new statue for Arrigo Park.  The Park District and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) will lead a community engagement process to select a person to be honored who is known for their contributions to Chicago’s Italian American community. The community engagement will be followed by a Request for Qualifications for interested artists.  
 
The community engagement and issuance of a Request for Qualifications regarding the new statue at Arrigo Park will be managed by DCASE and the �첥��Ƶ, in consultation with artists and community members. Following the removal of the plinth from Grant Park, the Park District will announce plans for a process to redesign the plaza as a gathering space that will accommodate temporary artworks.