City councillor Dave Stockdale says he doesn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth.

But he cautioned his fellow council members last night about the wisdom of accepting donations of uncommissioned artwork, and placing them in an area of prominence outside city hall.

Stockdale said the offer of a seven-foot bronze statue of a firefighter from former resident and artist Susan Velder is a nice gesture.

In accepting the piece, however, council sets a precedent for other artists who submit donations unsolicited, he said.

Stockdale said he also has an issue with the placement next to the main entrance along Second Avenue.

By placing the bronze firefighter there, it gives recognition to one group of city employees when there are many city different groups of employees who make the city go 'round, he said.

Stockdale said he opposes accepting the gift, to spending the $12,500 to ship it from Calgary to Whitehorse and erect it, and to the location next to city hall.

Mayor Dan Curtis, on the other hand, said he is proud of the city firefighters and the job they do, and has no problem recognizing them when he can.

As a kid, he said to laughter, he wanted to be a fire truck – not a firefighter, but a fire truck.

He said he would like to honour doctors, nurses and police officers.

"I would like to put them there too,” he said. "They are not city; firefighters are city employees.

"The next time you see somebody running into a burning building ... yeah, they are heroes, and we should recognize them,” said the mayor.

Velder made the offer to city hall in recognition of the bravery and life-saving skills of firefighters everywhere, and to the entrepreneurial legacies of Jean and Roy Jamieson and Anton Peter Velders, all longtime Whitehorse business professionals.

The city formed a committee to evaluate Velder's offer, and three locations, in the same way it forms a committee when commissioning art work, council was told.

The committee returned with a recommendation to accept the gift and place it next to the front entrance.

After some discussion, the site location was removed from the motion accepting the statue and approving the $12,500 expenditure.

Administration was directed to prepare a list of other site options for further consideration by council, and administration was asked to include the location in dispute as one of the options for further discussion.

All but Stockdale voted in favour of accepting Velder's donation.

Fire station No. 1, next to city hall has a bronze bust of a firefighter outside the entrance.

As well, a full-size firefighter crafted from scrap metal was commissioned for the new Public Safety Building housing station No. 2 at the top of Two Mile Hill.

Coun. Betty Irwin aligned herself somewhat with Stockdale's opposition regarding the location for the new statue.

Placing a large firefighter at the front entrance of city hall tends to identify the city with one specific group, she said.

If it was a white horse, she suggested lightly, it might be a different matter.

"I just can't envision this statue at city hall representing all what the city means,” Irwin said.

"... It does not seem to be the place for it.”

Stockdale said he wishes members of council had had the opportunity to have last night's discussion before the evaluation committee was formed, so that council wouldn't be facing this situation.

The statue is scheduled to arrive in mid-June to coincide with the 100th birthday celebration of Jean Jamieson.