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Washington Harbour Fountain

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The new fountains at the Washington Harbour complex started flowing over Labor Day weekend. The renovated water feature will only flow until Oct. 1 this year to allow for construction of the ice rink in time for the winter season.

In addition to center fountain jets that can reach up to 65 feet, the new fountain design also features shows with lights and music.
According to Joshua Lynsen, a representative for the Washington Harbour, the hours are as follows:

“Fountain shows start at 5 p.m. and occur every 30 minutes until 10 p.m. Shows can also be seen throughout the day on the hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Shows done during the work week are done without music. Fountain shows last anywhere from five to 10 minutes and typically feature two songs.”

The fountains will run again in the spring, most likely in time for the Cherry Blossom Festival and next season they will run through mid-October. According to Lynsen,

“The fountain designs were a collaborative effort. The lower plaza renovation was done by Gensler, while Crystal Fountains designed the fountains, H2O Arts handled the programming and Southern Aquatics designed and built the infrastructure.”

In addition to the updated fountains and the incoming ice rink, the waterfront’s renovation also included updated restaurants for Tony & Joe’s and Nick’s Riverside Grill. Farmers Fishers Bakers should be coming online later this year.

Fountain Square

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Construction On Fountain Square Will Commence Next Week

Construction of the Fountain Square Beautification Project will begin December 28. The date was set Tuesday afternoon during a pre-construction conference. Pulaski Fiscal Court earlier Tuesday authorized signing of a contract with HIl-Don Inc., Burkesville, as general contractor for the project. The contract amount is $760,665.39.

The contract allows 150 days for completion of the project, meaning it will be sometime in June before the public will have access to the renovated square. Traffic will move normally around the Fountain Square area during the construction period. Russell Sitter, designer of the fountain, said most of the work around the square will be boring beneath the streets.

Sitter gushes when he talks about the new fountain. He said it will be classical and unique. The water will jut 18 feet into the air from 15 nozzles. At night, the fountain will be illuminated with 19 lights.

The original fountain had only one nozzle. Later, during the 1970s, four additional nozzles were added. Renovation of Fountain Square will be done with an $800,000 Transportation Enhancement Grant and $200,000 in-kind contribution by Pulaski County government.

Tiffany Bourne, community development director for Pulaski County, wrote the grant application five years ago and it was approved.

M2D Design Group and Bell Engineering, architects for the project, say the renovated square will be an open plaza space that will be a focal point and an inviting gathering place. Steps and surrounding walls will provide a variety of informal seating.

Center of the square will be a circular plaza of concrete paving and brick pavers. Memorial bricks will be located in paver bands. The square renovation is designed to be cohesive with and complement the plaza at Pulaski Court of Justice.

The statue of the late Senator and Ambassador John Sherman Cooper will be relocated to face south, toward First and Farmers National Bank. There will be space for another statue.

A simple landscape of lawn, evergreen shrubs, grasses and trees will create a low maintenance frame for the plaza. Six of the existing cherry trees will be preserved. Concrete planters will provide opportunities for seasonal color.

New stamped crosswalks will provide more safe pedestrian crossings directly to Fountain Square. A raised island with a roll curb and stamped concrete will be a pedestrian refuge at East Mt. Vernon Street.

New striping and arrows will help direct traffic through the square. Signage will be consolidated and relocated on mast arms.
By: BILL MARDIS, Editor Emeritus, Commonwealth Journal