war effort, obtaining even basic materials for the statue was difficult; in a memo to the Manitoba Minister of Public Works in December 1917, Simon explained that it "was impossible to obtain [the shaft] either in England or in France owing to war conditions". Eventually the upper shaft was constructed in Chicago and shipped to France. Simon had also wished for the statue to be cast from one piece of material without any joints or seams. Given the metal shortage in France, however, several smaller pieces were used. Purchased by the Government of Manitoba from France, the statue was completed by Gardet in 1918, cast in bronze by the Barbedienne Foundry. The factory was bombed but the statue was not damaged. Delivery The statue was placed in the hold of a freight ship for transport to Canada. The ship was then commandeered for war service and directed to transport allied troops and supplies. The statue remained in the ship for the remainder of the War, making two trips across the Mediterranean and five transatlantic crossings. The statue arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was shipped by train to Winnipeg, where it was placed atop the Manitoba Legislative Building on 21 November 1919, in time for the official opening of the Legislative Building in 1920. Although made of bronze, the statue—originally and officially titled 'Eternal Youth and the Spirit of Enterprise'—was nicknamed 'Golden Boy' from the onset, as the new bronze figure shined and reflected the sun, making the figure appear to be made of gold. The final cost of the Golden Boy—including expenses related to designing, creating, casting, transporting, and lifting the statue to the top of the Legislature dome—totalled CA$13,240.73. Renovation and restoration In the 1940s, the bronze statue was painted gold. This would be followed in 1951 by its first gilding with 50,000 square inches of 23.5-carat gold leaf, measuring 3.25 square inches per sheet. In 1966, the Government of Manitoba had an electric lamp installed atop the torch of the statue, which was first lit on 31 December 1966 to mark Canada's centennial celebrations in 1967. In 2002, the statue required repair because rust was accumulating on the inside of its hollow core and its iron supports were eroding away; Alpha Masonry, the general contractor for the restoration project, lowered the statue to the ground for a complete overhaul and regilding. On 9 February 2002, the Golden