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Bench adorns front of downtown firm

By Lisa Scheller - | Nov 26, 2002

J.W. Evans was happy one recent evening to see three little girls sitting on the bench outside Evans Insurance Company as they waited to go to dance lessons at the studio next door.

That’s just why the business purchased the bench, which city employees installed last week.

“I just thought it would be neat,” said Evans, who has lived in Tonganoxie all his life. “Years and years ago, people used to sit on the sides of the buildings here.”

Evans recalled the years when farmers made the trip to town on Saturdays and the sidewalks would be lined with people.

“I just thought it would be nice to have a bench and maybe other merchants will look onto it,” Evans said.

The bench, as well as two others donated by Evans to be installed at the swimming pool, were purchased through the Tonganoxie Recreation Commission, with prior approval from the city.

Mark Zerrer, recreation commission director, said he ordered the benches from the same company that manufactured the playground equipment installed in Chieftain Park.

He said more benches, which cost about $300, could be ordered.

“I think it would be nice,” Zerrer said. “It’s a chance for people to walk around and shop. There are a few more businesses downtown and if there’s some benches it could only help.”

Tonganoxie city administrator Shane Krull said it’s important to go through the city when planning for more benches.

“I think there could possibly be some concerns on where they’re going to locate them at,” Krull said.

Krull added that normally it would be up to the business to pay for installation.

“Since Evans donated the other benches to us, we told him we’d go ahead and install it for him,” Krull said.