Modesto restores Leo the Lion, a memorable park drinking fountain. You can now find him here
Starting in 1960, visitors to a Modesto park could drink water from the mouth of a lion.
But the statue/fountain of Leo the Lion fell into disrepair at Beard Brook Park and was removed in February 2022.
Now, he’s roaring back. The city has restored the fountain and moved it to the Virginia Corridor Trail. A “grand relocation ceremony” will happen at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 29.
The event will be where Morris Avenue crosses the popular trail, which runs from Needham Street to north Modesto. The fountain is in place but fenced off until Friday.
The work cost $8,400, city spokeswoman Diana Ruiz-Del Re said by email Wednesday.
Modesto Lions Club donated original
Leo was an original feature of what was then known as Modesto Children’s Park. It is along Dry Creek between downtown and the La Loma neighborhood.
The fountain was donated by the Modesto Lions Club, according to the program for the dedication on July 30, 1960.
“In this wonderful land of imagination, anything goes,” it said. “Even a lion’s mouth becomes a drinking fountain ...”
The city posted the old printed program as part of its Facebook announcement of the restoration.
“Crazy how iconic this is for a lot of people,” one fan commented. “Definitely part of our childhood.”
Said another, “Hope you brushed its teeth and gave it an extensive oral exam.”
Share your memories with The Bee
The Modesto Bee invites readers to share memories on its own Facebook page, at www.facebook.com/modestobee/.
In recent years, Beard Brook has had issues with homeless camps. In January, the city transferred the property to the adjacent E.&J. Gallo Winery in exchange for a future trail site along the Tuolumne River.
Another piece of Beard Brook, an old steam locomotive, was moved in 2017 to the Amtrak station on Modesto’s east side. Visitors can view it — but not climb on it as kids once could at Beard Brook — as they wait for a modern passenger train to arrive.
This story was originally published September 27, 2023 at 12:04 PM.
