25 years ago: City Commission approves buffalo, bans downtown skateboarding

From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for July 13, 1988:

  • At their meeting the previous night, all five Lawrence city commissioners (including Mayor “Buffalo Bob” Schumm) had voted to accept a limestone sculpture titled “Buffalo” as a donation to the city. The buffalo, designed by local artist Jim Patti but not yet carved, was to be located near the northwest corner of Clinton Parkway and Lawrence Avenue. The Douglas County Commission, which shared control over Clinton Parkway, also approved the sculpture this morning. The buffalo was to be created from a narrow slab of limestone more than 6 feet tall and 9 feet long and was to be placed on a patch of natural prairie grass. The sculpture was to be produced on-site via a “team carve” beginning in August and lasting four to six weeks.
  • The City Commission had also voted unanimously to approve a motion to ban skateboarding on Massachusetts Street sidewalks between Sixth and 11th streets. The ban, which was also to apply to a one-half block corridor east and west of Massachusetts, had been proposed by Mike Amyx the previous July because of several reported collisions between skateboarders and downtown shoppers. It would be at least two weeks before the ban went into effect because commissioners were required to approve two readings of the ordinance carrying out the motion.