Hiram Walker will soon be memorialized with a permanent statue in Walkerville.

Council voted unanimously Monday night to spend $400,000 for the design, creation and installation of the commemorative statue.

“There’s very few people who have had the impact on the City of Windsor like Hiram Walker," said Mayor Drew Dilkens after Monday's council meeting. “Council approved moving forward funding the project to make sure it gets off the ground, but we’re still working on fundraising for the project.”

Dilkens said it would be paid for with funds set aside in previous budgets, ward funds and possibly sponsorships – but it was necessary to approve it now for timing purposes.

“We’re hoping to have this announced and unveiled for next year, Canada’s 150th and Windsor's 125th birthdays," said Dilkens. “We can’t get it done in time unless the artist starts working right now because we have to get it in queue for the foundry.”

Ward 4 Councilor Chris Holt said it’s about time.

“The fact that we haven’t had a statue at this point, or some commemorative statue of Mr. Walker, is kind of strange,” said Holt, whose ward will host the new piece of art. “I’m thankful for the support of councilors around the table. They rightly admitted this is a city wide thing, this is for the benefit of the entire city and tells our story.”

The artist charged with making the statue is Mark Williams. The piece will eventually be situated at the corner of Riverside and Devonshire, near the Canadian Club Brand Centre.

This summer, the city celebrated what would have been Hiram Walker's 200th birthday.

Walker is credited as the founder of Walkerville, was a philanthropist and of course the man behind the world renowned Canadian Club whisky.

Dilkens noted the towering historical figure shaped Windsor into what it is today -- thanks in large part to his forward thinking.

"Without Walkerville, the City of Windsor would be a shadow of itself."