THE water fountain at the entrance to Merriwa Park looks set to become the centre of a tug of war between the Rural City of Wangaratta and the local Lions club.

The fountain, set up by the Lions Club of Wangaratta in 1963, is in a sad state at the moment, and council has ear-marked it for removal.

Council wants to replace it with the "Two Can" jazz sculpture which is currently located at the corner of Ford and Ovens St in front of the soon to be demolished Wangaratta Town Hall.

The current building will be replaced by the Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre, with no room on the tight site for the sculpture.

Council had identified the Merriwa Park entrance as an ideal spot for the sculpture, and had contacted the Lions club with a view to removing the old fountain.

However, the club is standing on its dig and has told council that it has plans to restore the fountain to its former glory on the current site.