The 500-foot smokestack that rises out of Bridgeport Harbor has long been a source of passionate debate.

Some residents want it to be demolished, and others say it should be preserved and repainted with a mural as a landmark.

"That's why we're holding a poll on social media next week to see what the majority of Bridgeport residents think," said Mayor Joe Ganim Friday.

The smokestack, built more than half a century ago, is the prominent centerpiece of the now decommissioned PSEG coal-fired powerplant.

While the plant, which is owned by a New York developer, is set to be demolished over the next three years, some residents, including Tony Barr, have suggested the smokestack be preserved.

"It's a great source of history and nostalgia. When I got out of federal prison and came home after 21 years, that smokestack warmed my heart - just as it warmed the region for so many decades," Barr said.

But Councilman Jorge Cruz, who represents the South End where the plant is located, says the smokestack needs to be demolished.

"That ugly, horrible thing is a symbol of the coal industry, which killed countless people over the years with its soot and other pollution. Let's do the right thing and tear it down," Cruz said.

Ganim says the poll will be available on the city's social media platforms next week.