LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Weeks after the Louisville Parks and Recreation Department filed a petition to demolish Hogan's Fountain Pavilion, a city committee denied the request.
The issue was the only item on Wednesday night's meeting of the Individual Landmarks Architectural Review Committee.
A fence has surrounded the structure, known by many as the "Teepee Pavilion," since May 2022 when Tetra Tech, an engineering firm, visually inspected the site.
The firm found issues with the glulam arches that hold up the Teepee and found that wood was so rotted, it had turned to mulch.
The fence blocks the pavilion off by 80 feet in all directions, an area that includes a playground for young children.
"We do feel it's a public safety issue," Jason Canuel with the Parks Department said. "We are not able to predict when the structure will catastrophically fail, but the structure does continue to move."
Canuel said demolition would cost around $60,000, and that repairing the historic structure but would cost around $1 million if it's even possible.
Good evening from the Individual Landmarks Arch. Review committee meeting. Tonight, there’s only one item on the agenda: the possible demolition of Hogan’s Fountain Pavilion, aka the Teepee @WDRBNews pic.twitter.com/4vu97XlWyE
— Conroy Delouche (@ConroyDelouche) March 1, 2023
Several people stood during the meeting to support saving the structure. Some expressed concerns about "demolition by neglect" of a city property, while others questioned holding the meeting while the Metro Council District's seat is vacant. Cassie Chambers Armstrong resigned last week after winning a special election for a State Senate seat.
While the Parks Department said they would replace the structure, attendees expressed concern that there's not a known plan, or price, in place. Canuel told the committee that's hard to predict right now due to high costs.
Most, however, talked about their love for the pavilion, and memories of the 58-year-old gathering place.
"A lot of things like birthday parties and reunions here at the site," Dalton Hensley said. "And that was really important to me and my family growing up. And I feel as though it is for a lot of other people."
"I have memories of bringing my kids here when they were young," Pete Fannin said. "They would just play around or do a picnic around it."
"It's really an iconic symbol of Louisville," Joan Stephenson said.
The majority of the committee agreed with most of the speakers, ultimately voting to deny the Parks Department's demolition request. Two members said they liked the potential solutions to shore and repair the pavilion and want to explore those.
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