The Lenexa City Council has decided to remove the old city hall fountain due to the high cost of repair and replacement. The fountain, a 25-year-old structure, has been a decorative feature of the property and has been dyed different colors to celebrate holidays and festivals.

Cost of Repair and Replacement

The cost to fix and upgrade the fountain is estimated to be between $150,000 and $600,000, depending on whether it would be moved to a new location. City staff and the Lenexa Fire Department have suggested integrating a safety-themed piece of art instead, which will be determined in the future with the help of the Lenexa Arts Council.

Councilmembers Chelsea Williamson and Bill Nicks initially expressed concern about removing the fountain, but ultimately agreed that the cost was too high. “I think that as much as I would love to see it stay, I don’t think it’s cost effective to do it. I don’t think it’s practical logistically to do it,” Williamson said.

The Fire Station 6 project includes demolishing the old city hall building and erecting a new 27,000-square-foot building on the east portion of the property. The project will also preserve a cell tower, landscaping, and a tree line on the back half of the site.

Original reporting: Johnson County Post (Overland Park) — read the source article.