The fountain at the Henry Ford Centennial Library needs about $750,000 in repairs, city officials say.

We had heard the rumors and now The Detroit News reports that the water fountain which sits in front of the Henry Ford Centennial Library could be demolished and replaced with a smaller one because Dearborn lacks the needed money to repair the marble structure.

The fountain was a gift from the Ford Motor Company, an elegant water display to greet visitors to the city’s main library, which opened in 1969.

A new proposal could see the marble structure that once featured jets of water dancing upward amid colorful lights in a “water symphony” demolished in favor of a smaller version or even leveled for a garden.

According to The News, the venerable landmark to the drive down Michigan Avenue has fallen into disrepair, even after a $250,000 donation by a local benefactor more than a decade ago and repairs that were intended to “ensure the long-term future of the fountain,” according to the former public works director in 2006.

Jim Murray, director of the city’s Public Works Department, tells The News that annual maintenance and operation costs near $75,000. He says full restoration could cost as much as $750,000, a bit strain on the city’s budget. Officials are exploring options, including paving over the iconic structure.

All of this raises the simple question: How did we get here?