Friendship Fountain Falters

Originally posted Jun 16, 2005

In a story by Dan Scanlon of the Times Union it was revealed that the Fountain's pumps are all but shot and only the outer ring is still functioning...

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-onli....3.shtml

I can only hope that the Fountain is fixed as soon as possible, preferably before the upcoming football season.  I also hope that the solutions are looked at from a long term perspective in ensuring the Fountain as many years of future operation as possible.

As a note in what I assume is unrelated, Bob Baughman the longtime City of Jacksonville Parks department employee and until recently Department Head was asked by the Mayor to resign and upon refusing to do so was fired...
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-onli....0.shtml

Bob was a factor since day one in JaxFountain.com and was the first City Employee to contact us when the original problems with the hours of Fountain Operations was an issue in 1999...
http://jaxfountain.com/Original/started.htm

I consider Bob to have been a Friend of Friendship Fountain and I wish him the very best and feel that the Fountain has lost a Friend and Supporter.

-Bob Johnson

Originally Posted Dec 2005

It appears that initial estimates put the Repairs needed for the Fountain at over $400,000.00 and as a result another approach is being considered as reported by Dan Scanlan of the Times-Uniion...

Instead of just replacing two of the three 40-year-old pumps that shuddered themselves out of commission in April at Friendship Fountain, the city is looking at what it would take to not just repair, but improve the whole fountain on the Southbank.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-onli....2.shtml

We certainly would applaud efforts to overhaul the fountain and give the City of Jacksonville another 40 years of such a beautiful landmark...

Comments are always welcome...

-Bob

Originally posted by Amber Feb 21, 2006'

oh no does anyone know if the fountain is fully functioning yet?i was wanting to get married there in may but if its not going to be ready then i need to know so i can find another location.

Originally posted April 10, 2006

Hello Amber,

I learned news today that indicates that the City is considering completely tearing down Friendship Fountain and replacing it.  With what isn't very clear and also when this decision was made isn't clear however i met with Jim Piggott from Tv-4 News,
http://www.news4jax.com/station/267320/detail.html

He provided me with a Project Description as follows:
Demolish existing fountain and construct new fountain including interactive childrens water playground

Proposed cost $3,000,000.00  which seems a far cry of the $400,000.00 which they couldn't afford last year

More on this will follow...

-Bob