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Resident urges city to restore Westside pond fountain or try floating island to remove algae
Summary
A Fenton resident told the Board of Aldermen the Westside pond at Fenton City Park is frequently covered in algae and scum and urged the city to follow up on proposals — including a floating island or restoring a fountain — to keep the pond clean.
Josh Dalton, a Fenton resident, told the Board of Aldermen that the Westside pond at Fenton City Park has been covered with algae and "scum" for years and asked the city to take further steps to clear it for recreation and photos.
Dalton said he moved to Fenton in 2015 and that the pond previously had a working fountain. "Maybe 2016 or '17, I think they lost some piece for the fountain, and then there was nothing for several years," Dalton told the board. He said the city later installed bubblers but the water “is filled with scum most of the time.”
The pond sits near a public path and Dalton said the condition has changed how residents use the park. "Whenever my son gets ready for a formal dance or goes to prom... they don't go to that park to take pictures anymore. They did the first year or two we were here, and then it's gross. They don't go there. They go to Twin Oaks," he said.
Dalton said the parks board recently consulted the Missouri Department of Conservation and that the department has proposed options including a floating island. He urged the board not to abandon the project if the floating island "doesn't work," and to consider reinstalling a fountain or other measures to keep shallow water clean. He also said he planned to organize volunteer efforts and community fundraising for plantings around the pond.
Dalton provided social-media evidence that the condition concerns neighbors: he said a photo posted to a Fenton community group had "75 likes and reactions" and "30 comments." He described the pond's condition as "disgusting" and said neighbors told him the scum discourages typical park uses.
No formal action or vote was recorded on Dalton's remarks during the meeting. The parks board and staff had already discussed options with the Missouri Department of Conservation, according to Dalton; the transcript shows the matter was raised during public comment and not taken up as a formal agenda item that night.
