Two State College residents are planning construction for a new statue of the school’s former football coach Joe Paterno.
According to FOX Sports, construction for the statue is set to begin in 2015. The project is currently called “Joe’s Bench,” but after completion it will be renamed “Reflections.”
PennLive.com noted that the university is not involved in the planning and is “neutral” about another statue going up.
The school really does not have any say because the statue’s planned location is on private property in front of a local restaurant and the owner is all for the idea.
“If some people don’t agree with that, then they probably don’t come into my restaurant, because Joe Paterno’s picture has been in the lobby of the Tavern since 1966,” he said.
In 2012, the college removed a statue of the long-time coach from outside its football stadium. That was the result of a university-commissioned report, which accused Paterno and three administrators of concealing sex abuse claims against retired assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.
The new statue is said to cost about $300,000 and will be done by famed Philadelphia sculptor Zenos Frudakis.