A model canal boat from Lehighton is moving down river to Walnutport.

On a unanimous measure, borough council on Monday agreed to award the canal boat to the Walnutport Canal Association.

Also as part of the motion, council agreed to have Northeast Industrial Services move the boat at the next in-service day available, and to have borough solicitor Jim Nanovic amend the contract.

Before the vote, borough Manager Dane DeWire informed borough council that he and Councilwoman Becky Worthy recently met with members of the Walnutport Canal Association.

DeWire told council that together, they have found “the perfect place to store this.”

Several members of the Walnutport Canal Association were in attendance at Monday’s Lehighton Borough Council meeting.

George Pandich, president of the Walnutport Canal Association, said the canal boat will be stored in the Walnutport Canal Museum.

“We have seen the boat, we love it,” Pandich said. “It is a perfect place for this beautiful boat.”

Pandich told Lehighton Borough Council it would always have the option to have the canal boat back.

“We want to own the boat,” he said. “We hope you could convey ownership of it to us.”

Todd Weaver, president of the Lehighton Area Heritage Alliance, said, “That’s the perfect place for it.”

DeWire said it was about turning over the ownership of the boat, along with the $1,000 donation from the WCA, and the borough would spend the rest of the money.

“If they ever can’t house it, we get it back,” DeWire noted.

Worthy agreed that the canal boat will be in good hands.

“I would love for Lehighton to have something similar,” Worthy said. “We just felt that actually was the perfect place for it.”

Leonard Steigerwalt, a member of the Walnutport Canal Association, said the canal boat is very near and dear to his heart.

“I was there for the whole thing,” Steigerwalt said. “I call this my baby.”

The move will likely occur before the end of March.

Council agreed last month to move the model to the Walnutport Canal Association and asked Nanovic to draw up a five-year agreement with the association.

Also as part of the motion, council agreed to have Northeast Industrial Services move the boat with a $1,000 donation from the association.

Before that vote, DeWire said it’s a $1,900 cost to move the model, and added the borough has a contractor who is willing to take it apart and remove it in two pieces via the south stairwell.

DeWire said that doesn’t mean the borough couldn’t eventually bring back the model, especially if it gets its own museum.