A year from now, a new monument surrounded by four panels that trace the story of Italian immigration to the city starting in the late 19th century should be in place as a unified reflection on their contributions to New Haven. “We have learned so much about ourselves and each other,” William Iovanne Jr., chairman of the large Wooster Square Monument Committee, said as the group gets ready to officially share a request for artists to submit their qualifications for the interpretive art project.

The new monument will take the place of the statue of Christopher Columbus that had occupied the same space in Wooster Square Park from 1892 until it was removed on June 24, 2020, a decision that had divided the community.