SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The historic landmark Leeper Park duck pond was drained on Thursday.

The pond has been a part of South Bend for decades and people are sad to see it go.

“It’s sad. I think that they should just clean it out and redo it and bring all of our animals out to give our kids something to look forward to but at least they’re taking the ducks that can’t fly to the zoo,” South Bend native Barbara Parmley said.

Roughly a dozen koi fish and about ten mallards were taken to the Potawatomi Zoo for rehabilitation and eventual relocation.