You may notice the totem pole in Centennial Gardens in St.Catharines will disappear for a bit.
The decaying pole, which has been in the park since 1967, will be taken down and restored over the winter months.
Sean Vander Klis with the Niagara Regional Native Centre says while he is happy the totem pole will be restored, totem poles are not historically connected to their spiritual roots in Niagara.
He says totem poles became a 'mainstream aboriginal symbol' following colonization.
Vander Klis says an aboriginal person who has 'lost their roots' may become inspired by the sight of a totem pole, and that's perfectly fine, but symbols of their culture go much deeper.
City council approved up to $125,000 to restore and reinstall the totem pole.
Vander Klis is co-host of One Dish One Mic on CKTB Sundays at noon.