Sunbury committee: Johnny Appleseed statue removed for restoration; base to be replaced

The Sunbury City Parks and Recreation Committee heard on May 7 that the Johnny Appleseed statue has been removed from the square for restoration and preservation work. "He is removed from the square right now, getting restored," a parks staff member said during the meeting.

Committee members were told the statue’s base will be replaced with catalpa wood, which was described as a "high decay resistance" material intended to extend the base’s life. "Last I heard, the base will be catalpa wood, and that's gonna be, a high decay resistance type of base," the staff member said.

Committee members did not provide a firm timeline. "As of right now, we do not," the staff member said when asked if there was a target date. Members discussed the possibility of having the statue ready for the July 4 holiday but noted that a company performing the work has not provided a schedule. "We have a company that has agreed to do the work. They just haven't told us how long it's gonna take," one committee member said.

The committee also raised the question of where the statue will be placed when the work is complete. "We haven't decided if he's gonna go back on the square, though. Remember?" one member said, and another replied that a new location would need to be determined. No formal decision on a permanent location was made at the meeting. "We gotta determine a new location," a committee member said.

The update was described as preservation work rather than recarving. "Oh, they're preserving him too," one committee member said, and another clarified, "Not recarving. Just preserving."