Skilled trades people worked through the night dismantling and moving the historic statue of Timothy Eaton from its location at Polo Park Shopping Centre.

The statue, which weighs 3,500 pounds, was hoisted off the marble base by Willm's Craning Ltd. Masons from the Fabris-Milano group then carefully dismantled and crated the more than five tons of marble blocks that make up the base. The crew worked through the night and the pieces were moved from the shopping centre in the early morning hours.

True North has arranged for storage of the well known piece of Winnipeg history at a downtown location until the construction of the MTS Centre progresses to the point in time when it will be safe to move the statue into its new display area in the suite level public lobby of the new sports and entertainment centre.

The statue was moved some months early than originally anticipated at the request of The Bay. The company is opening its new store at Polo Park on Thursday and didn't want the relic of its former retail competitor standing outside its doors.

True North committed to move the statue, which is said to bring good luck to those who rub the brass toe of Timothy's boot, along with two plaques commemorating Eaton's employees who died in World War I and World War II, into the entertainment centre on Portage Avenue to commemorate the part played by the T. Eaton Company in the development of downtown Winnipeg.