One of two “gateway” statues in Mattapan Square that was knocked down and damaged last May by a reckless driver will be repaired and replaced in its original position, city officials told neighbors during a meeting late last month. But the long-term fate of the bronze statues— installed in 2005 as a salute to Mattapan’s history— remains a point of contention, as officials anticipate a likely relocation in future years to accommodate new traffic configurations along Blue Hill Avenue.

Sarah Rodrigo, a senior project manager with the Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture, told attendees at a June 28 virtual meeting that the city has approved $45,000 to pay for the repair of the sculpture, which was damaged on May 18.

“The good news is the bronze statue can be completely repaired,” Rodrigo said. “These are all reparable damages to the art. … We’re looking at a three to four months out depending on some timelines…They will subrogate the driver in this case and his insurance will pay for it.”

Karin Goodfellow, the city’s director of Public Art, confirmed that the statue will be restored to its former home at the intersection of Blue Hill Avenue and River Street – at least for now.

The intent of the artists, Fern Cunningham and Karen Eutemey, was to create an invisible archway between the two statues where Mattapan’s past was relaying its history to the present and future of Mattapan – which is conveyed with a child holding a book and each statue having outstretched arms toward the other.

The idea of moving them to an alternate site nearby— closer to the MBTA station— has become a hot potato issue. Leading the movement against the relocation has been Barbara Crichlow, who was on the committee that commissioned the statues. While they were installed in 2005, the planning had gone on for 25 years before, she said.

“I’m hearing the statue is going back into place, and I hope it does,” said Crichlow. “These two statues mean a lot to the people on the committee and if you look at the history, you’ll understand. We really had a hard time when the statue was hit and knocked down, and people said they want to move it.”

Donna Young, the daughter of the owner of a Brigham’s Ice Cream store that once occupied a retail space in the square, said her family did not want the statues moved.

“I know moving them would not be an option we would be happy with given all the hard work they put into bringing these to life where they’re at,” she said.

The Office of Arts and Culture said there is an opportunity in the interim to replace the statue and install lighting and landscaping – making them more noticeable for now. Lighting, protective bollards, historical interpretation, and other extras were originally intended to be included in the statue project, but they didn’t materialize with the finished product.

However, the Boston Transportation Department (BTD) wants to convene a serious conversation about moving the statues – preferably staying in the Square but sited on the commuter plaza long River Street, said Charlotte Fleetwood of BTD. That would happen within the upcoming Mattapan Square Re-Design that runs in tandem with the Blue Hill Avenue Transportation Action Plan and is several years away from construction.

Part of the issue is that the statues are in the way of a new left turn for buses, and in the way of new pedestrian crossings – as well as multi-modal accommodations for bicyclists and public transit.

“We are looking at ways to make the new intersection more pedestrian-friendly and more accessible,” Fleetwood said, adding that her agency believes there is an opportunity for a “win-win” where they can make the intersection more pedestrian friendly, more transit friendly, and keep the statues in the Square.

“We would not do that without discussions with the committee and the community,” she said. “We want to have these discussions and share rough ideas.”

She is not alone with that thinking. Advocates for moving the statues aren’t newcomers or out-of-towners, as is sometimes suggested.

Kenya Beaman, a life-long resident of Mattapan and a city employee with the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA), said she has seen the statues but never knew anything about the history. She said she appreciates the artists’ intent but would like to see them in a more accessible placed.

“My personal opinion as a resident is I would like to see it in a space that’s safe where folks can learn about the committee, and kids can take pictures of them, and field trips can learn about them,” she said. “My main objective is to make sure everyone knows about the statue and its meaning. You can’t do that if it’s sitting on that small island.”

Mattapan’s Vivian Ortiz agreed, saying she has passed by the statues on her bicycle for years, but never knew about them. “I would like to see them closer and in a space people can enjoy them,” she said, noting that it would be great to be able to take pictures with them and stop to look at them.

Conversely, Muriel Leonard said many people use the statues as landmarks.

“They are the first things you see when you arrive in Boston,” she asserted. “I agree they should stay because they have a kind of presence…If they’re moved, you’re going to lose the gateway.”

Eutemey, who created one of the statues, said if they are moved, they must be situated to make sure the artist-intent is preserved. “That’s part of the intention of them,” she said. “It’s to convey the passing of the history of Mattapan and it being received by the present and the future.”

She said there is a little girl holding a book on one statue, and the book contains all the information generated throughout the history of Mattapan by all of the different peoples who lived there.

She said the history is passed on in the sculptures “so we don’t forget that history and we have that information when we make decisions today.”

Crichlow noted that there were supposed to be interpretive materials that the state never produced. She said the misunderstanding about the statues is part of the story of Mattapan. “We get the short end of the stick on a lot of projects,” she said. “If they were lit up you would have all paid attention to them. You drive through in the dark now and you see nothing…We thought we were getting things we needed and wanted, and we didn’t. Consider that in your thoughts when you make these decisions.”

A BTD meeting to discuss the statues, lighting, and other parts of the Mattapan Square Re-Design will take place online on July 18.