In Sicily, Leonardo Sciascia will always be known for his writing, but in Hamilton, he's known lately for being constantly covered in cozy scarves.

Despite his death in 1989, the Italian author and politician continues to live on through his life-sized bronze statue erected in front of Liuna Station on James Street North — and so do questions about why someone or some people continue to dress him in scarves.

Donna Reid, who says she's lived in the area for more than two decades, says it's a move from staff at the station, which is now a reception hall.

"I think it's out of respect for the man it represents," she tells CBC News.

Leonardo Sciascia was a writer and politician from Sicily who died in 1989. (Colin Côté-Paulette/CBC)

David Rutherford, an event planner with Liuna Station, thinks the scarves are linked to "generous citizens."

"They tend to crochet scarves and mitts and put it on the statue for the homeless because there's a shelter down the street," he says.

"If the homeless are cold, they can come down and grab a scarf, and [the group] has done this at Gore Park as well ... it's very endearing."

David Rutherford, an employee at Linua Station says the people putting scarves on the Leonardo Sciascia statue leave them out for the city's homeless population. (Bobby Hristova/CBC)

But Miranda Bogdanowski, a receptionist at the station, says Sciascia's statue has been adorning scarves for the last two years and all come from the same person.

"There's this lady in the neighbourhood who knits scarves, brings them and puts them on there," she tells CBC News.

"She introduced herself just recently to us."

Residents say the Leonardo Sciascia statue normally only has scarves all over it in the winter. (Colin Côté-Paulette/CBC)

The mystery knitter is said to bring scarves a few times a week for the homeless — though who takes the scarves is also a mystery.

"We don't know for sure if homeless people take them, it's hard to tell," Bogdanowski says.

Recently, someone put a face mask on the statue, seemingly making light of the coronavirus.

"You have to find light in the dark times," Rutherford says. "Somebody has humour."

The Leonardo Sciascia statue had a face mask placed on it Thursday, seemingly making jest of the spread of COVID-19. (Colin Côté-Paulette/CBC)

Kamellia Mishriky, a local youth coach, who regularly walks by the statue thinks the face mask "takes it too far."

But as for the scarves, she isn't too concerned about who makes them.

"It just puts a smile on my face."