Some want Lake Eola's Confederate soldier statue gone

ORLANDO, Fla. — As the debate over the Confederate flag continues in South Carolina, some Orlando residents are speaking out about a prominent statue at an iconic park.

A monument of a Confederate soldier has sat along Eola Drive at Lake Eola park for nearly 100 years.

After heated debate about the Confederate flag flying at South Carolina's capitol, civil rights activists spoke out about Orlando's Confederate statue.

"It's a reminder of slavery," said Lawanna Gelzer, with the National Action Network. "It's a reminder of what half of the country wanted to do. They wanted to secede from the union."

In addition to the monument, many of Orlando's streets, including Robinson Street and Shine Avenue, are named after Confederate soldiers.

Patricia Schnurr, with the United Daughters of the Confederacy, wants the monument to stay put.

"The statue has nothing to do with slavery," Schnurr said. "(It's) a tribute to the soldiers who fought from Florida."

The 92-year-old believes the monument is an important part of downtown Orlando.

"It shouldn't go anywhere. It should stay exactly where it is," Schnurr said.

City officials told Channel 9 that they are "open to exploring options for the future of this statue."

WFTV