A statue of Gen. Richard Butler, for whom this city is named, would make the entrance to the downtown business district more impressive.

But the challenge facing supporters of the idea is to find the money needed to pay for the statue as well as the costs associated with putting the statue in place.

No taxpayer money should be allocated to the project, neither by the city nor state. There are myriad more important needs for which taxpayer money should be spent.

Likewise, with so many other more important issues facing the city council and state Department of Transportation, any efforts by the city and PennDOT on behalf of the statue should be minimal in terms of time expended.

But as a project for interested individuals or civic groups or clubs, the statue endeavor is something worth considering. The statue would present the city as proud of its history and heritage and make the statement, by way of its location at the entrance of the new General Richard Butler Bridge, that the city remains committed to progress while keeping in mind the importance of its historical roots.

Members of the city council were correct in being upbeat about the idea last Tuesday after it was presented by C. Rick Hardman, senior designer for Olsen & Associates.

Hardman envisions a statue sculpted in what he described as a "non-military pose," offering instead a gesture of reception.

Some residents might disagree with such a pose and, in fact, at least one such opinion already has been expressed to the Butler Eagle, noting that with the Revolutionary War general having died in battle, "Why would you want to make him look like Mister Rogers?"

According to Hardman, the bronze statue, which he envisions as 12 feet high and standing on a 4-foot-diameter base atop a 36-foot-tall pedestal, would be at the southern end of the bridge.

Obviously, to make the project happen will require an aggressive fundraising initiative, perhaps the work of several groups and organizations working together. Hardman estimated that the statue itself might cost between $80,000 and $200,000. The base and pedestal would add significantly to that amount.

Hardman said no one has yet committed to raising the money for the project, but the project still is in its infancy and, until his appearance before the council, few people were aware that such an idea was in the works.

But, Hardman said, if financial support materializes, he is confident that the project can be accomplished.

It's too soon to settle on any specific time frame or deadline for the effort, if the financial issues have not been resolved. However, the project should not be put on the shelf and forgotten. Hardman should explore the idea with various entities and discuss why the project would be an asset in concert with other positive endeavors in the planning stages or already under way, including the proposed Centre City Project.

Communities that refuse to stand still don't pooh-pooh ideas such as the statue amid the more important needs and challenges that they face. They insert them into the bigger picture, to become reality when the opportunity occurs.

Hardman merits praise for putting forward this initiative. He should continue to refine the proposal and periodically update the council and, thus, the community on new developments.