A land transaction deal between the City of Windsor and Hiram Walker & Sons Limited can move forward.
Windsor city council gave its stamp of approval on Tuesday.
As heard on AM800 News, the company accepted the city's offer to obtain the land near Riverside Drive East and Devonshire Road based on its appraised value of $144,000.
The land is needed for the widening of the roadway in the area and the installation of the Hiram Walker statue.
Mayor Drew Dilkens says the original plan was to have the statue in place for his birthday on July 4 of this year.
"Now we're shooting for July 4, 2021 and hopefully once we acquire the property all the base work can be done so that the statue can be installed and we can have an official unveiling of a very important community builder," he says.
He says some work has already begun, but will hit full speed when the sale closes in a couple weeks.
"The funds are already available and the company has agreed to the terms so we're really just in a position to provide an agreement of purchase and sale, set a closing date then the property will become ours," he says.
Dilkens says the city considered putting a roundabout at that intersection but decided against it.
"Although the geometry could work for a roundabout at that location, it presents some driving problems and cycling conflicts that we just didn't want to see happen," he added.
Back in March, council asked the City Solicitor to begin the expropriation process for property.
Dilkens says some of the road work has already started.
He says the statue was supposed to be installed in July but has been delayed until July 2021.
— with files from AM800's Gord Bacon