Children's Fountain

Dedicated in 1995, the Children’s Fountain is located in a small, triangular park at the junction of two major thoroughfares in north Kansas City. The 60-foot by 100-foot fountain is one of the largest in the city and features six, larger-than-life bronze sculptures. Sculpted by prominent local artist Tom Corbin, each figure has a personal meaning and captures the joys of childhood as the spraying nozzles around them give the illusion they are skipping through the water.

This playful and thoughtful fountain was first proposed in 1990 by Anita Gorman, a Northland neighborhood advocate and the President of the Board of Kansas City Parks and Recreation at the time. Fundraising began in 1991 which amassed a total of $1.7 million through private and public donations, in addition to the sale of dedicatory bricks, now placed near the fountain. The 5-acre, triangular piece of land in which the fountain rests was donated by the Missouri Department of Transportation and the groundbreaking ceremony took place in April 1994. The small piece of land was developed into a park and the fountain was dedicated on June 21, 1995. 

The design of the multi-figure installation was centered around the concept of family and the celebration of young lives. The fountain features six, eight to ten-foot bronze sculptures created by prominent local artist Tom Corbin, who has worked with Gorman on several projects. Most of the sculptures represent children who lived in the area and capture the “carefree, innocent quality of children at play.” Designed in a linear fashion, they appear to play follow-the-leader. The 60-foot by 100-foot elliptical fountain was engineered by Larkin Aquatics. While the basin is only 2 feet deep, a total of 72,000 gallons of water pumps through the fountains nozzles at 5,600 gallons per minute, giving the illusion the children figures are skipping through the water. 

The dedication plaque states: 

The bronze figures represent children everywhere to whom this fountain is dedicated and the activities that shape young lives making childhood a joy.

The figures as a whole represent diversity in the community. In descending order of their placement within the fountain, they are as follows: 

“Joy” represents an adolescent girl inspired by the six daughters of and gifted by Patty and Charles Garney. The figure is said to be a tribute to the “freedom which today challenges young women to be all that they can be,” standing confidently as she sways in the wind on the tallest pillar.

“Meeting Challenges” represents overcoming the challenges of life and depicts a boy raising his crutches into the air as he balances on one leg. The figure was donated by the Victor E. Speas Foundation and gifted by Boatmen’s First National Bank of Kansas City. 

“Ballerina” is modeled after Jill James Skjervem, who was an adult at the time and is the daughter of benefactors Mr. and Mrs. C.G. James. It was gifted by Boatmen’s First National Bank of Kansas City. 

“Soccer Player” is modeled after Tom McClung and given by his mother Susan L. Perry. Tom was also an adult at the time, therefore his pose was used as inspiration.

“Handstand Boy” was modelled after the son of a close friend of Corbin and was a gift from Kansas City Southern Industries as a “tribute to all children.” In an upside down pose, he “looks at the world from all angles.” 

“Girl Wading” is Aubree Collins, a student at Northland’s Eastgate Middle School and the daughter of park district manager Paul Collins. The girl tests the waters as she gently lifts the hem of her skirt and tepidly dips her toe into the water. It was donated by the Clay County Fine Arts Council. 

Children's Fountain, City of Fountains. Accessed July 13th 2022. https://cityoffountains.org/childrens-fountain/.

Paxton, Heather N.. Fountains in Our Town - The Children's Fountain, The Independent. Accessed July 13th 2022. https://kcindependent.com/fountains-in-our-town-the-childrens-fountain/.

Bartsch, Dawnya. Who Are The Kids Depicted In The Northland’s Children’s Fountain?, Kansas City Magazine. February 28th 2022. Accessed July 13th 2022. https://kansascitymag.com/news/who-are-the-kids-depicted-in-the-northlands-childrens-fountain/.

Contact via email with Julia Valasquez, Vice President and Director of Marketing for Corbin Bronze, 15 July 2022.