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Resident asks Type B board to consider help restoring Calico Park fountain
Summary
Tom Bunce asked the Type B board to consider partnering on or helping fund restoration of a long‑defunct fountain at the pond in Calico (Student) Park, citing increased park use and two different cost estimates; board members said they will check legal limits before committing city funds to privately owned property.
Tom Bunce, a resident who said he lives on County Road 807, told the Type B board that the fountain in the Calico Park pond has been defunct for several years and urged the board to consider helping restore it.
"The fountain's been defunct for several years," Bunce said, describing increased daily use of the pond and recounting personal volunteer work in the park. He said a small family foundation might fund part of the work and that a basic fountain could cost about $10,000, while a larger pump was quoted at roughly $30,000 for a 5‑horsepower setup.
Bunce asked whether the board could help with fundraising or a contribution from Type B funds. Board members noted the pond may be on private property and raised legal concerns about spending public money there. One board member said the board would "ask the attorneys" to determine whether Type B funds could be used; another noted that, historically, the board had not spent on private property since about 1990.
"I'm not sure if we can spend money on private land, but we'll see," a board member said. "We'll sure try," another added when asked about looking into options such as collaborative agreements with property owners.
The chair and staff suggested placing the matter on a future agenda for July after legal review and clearer funding proposals. No formal action or commitment of funds was made at the meeting.
Next steps: staff will seek legal guidance on whether Type B funds or other city resources can lawfully be used for improvements on land that may be privately owned, gather clearer cost estimates and grant possibilities, and return with recommendations at a later meeting.
