One of William Land Park’s charming little areas to sit and enjoy a picnic is right behind the Zoo at the Swanston statue and stream. Renovation of the stream will be completed later this month thanks to years long persistent efforts by neighbors Rick Stevenson and Larry Buckle. Abandoned by the City for decades, the stream had been put into occasional operation in recent years by Stevenson and Dennis Neufeld, but the same algae clogging problems that caused city abandonment had to be removed daily by the volunteers.
As built, the stream started in a pond at the statue base, ran under walkways down the two stream tiers and then under 15th Ave. into Lilly Pond, overflowing into a storm drain. The stream will now recirculate, allowing algae prevention water treatment that previously would have washed away, and saving water.
Watch for additional Swanston area work which will include statue cleaning, new turf and irrigation in planting beds, some of which are still hand water, and hardening walkways to prevent the constant erosion by rain, along with replacement of a drinking fountain in the statue base, to restore the area to its 1926 creation. The LPCA has donated funds to the Swanston projects.