Have you noticed that most of the fountains in Downtown are working again these days? Many were unwisely turned off during the drought of 2004 and suffered damage as a result, while others were just overdue for maintenance and repair anyway. Nevertheless, a lot of effort recently has gone into getting them back in working order, and I greatly appreciate it. Particularly in Denver’s hot, dry summer climate, a fountain can be both physically and psychologically refreshing.
One of the fountains I’m happiest to see working are the Lawrence Halprin fountains in Skyline Park. When I first moved to Denver, one of my favorite places to go when I would venture Downtown was to Skyline Park and to climb up and sit at the top of one of the Halprin fountains. When friends or relatives would visit me from out of state, the fountains at Skyline were a must-stop on my grand tour of Downtown. Then, over the years, they were neglected and turned off. Sad. Anyway, here’s a shot of one of Skyline’s newly-working fountains:
Other Downtown fountains that are now functioning include the Pioneer Monument fountain at Colfax and Broadway and the Creekside Plaza fountain at Larimer and Cherry Creek.
Historically, fountains have served as a critical component of a city’s public spaces. We’re fortunate here in Denver to have a decent inventory of Downtown public fountains and we could always use more. But from now on, let’s not wait until we host some big event like the DNC to spruce everything up to impress our visitors. Let’s just take good care on a regular basis of things like fountains and the rest of our public realm too, OK?
Looks like some graffiti artists have already tagged this nice structure… no, wait, that would be the city of Denver. You'd think they could find a better way than stenciled spray paint to instruct people not to wade. I work near all these fountains and they really do help out downtown.
It looked even nicer at night with the lighting on it.
They should turn on the fountains along the 16th street mall next.
I'm a big fan of fountains; a really big fan.
The no wading thing is ridiculous. 1) it's a defacement, and 2) who cares! Let people wade, as far as I'm concerned.
Yeah, I wouldn't care about the wading, it's the using-it-as-a-facility I'd be more worried about. I didn't see that they had the east(?) fountain on. I saw the western(?) one during the convention, fantastic. Though now I can't climb into one of the boxes and hideout.
No mention of the new(?) fountain in City Park Lake? I suppose it may be a bit out of the down town area…
I just saw this new fountain in operation for the first time this weekend, and I thought it really added some interest to the already iconic view of Denver from City Park Meadows. Neato!
I think my favorite is the fountain near the Esplanade off Colfax. I guess that's not downtown either.
I think Denver could use a couple new, grander fountains. I can't think of anything that invites more photo opportunities than fountains, so a good one exports a very positive image of the city.
I'm not sure what's going up in Civic Center Park as far as fountains go, but something near the new Union Station or on the mall in the Riverfront Park area would be key.
pssh. It's all about the Hungarian Freedom Fountain off of Speer. They need more of those random fountains all around Denver's old core. Nothing's cooler than seeing an old, marble fountain at a random intersection in a city neighborhood. Just like the one off of 20th and Logan in upper downtown (name?) It makes Denver feel more old, European, and historic. Fountains are everywhere in European cities. 🙂
So I suppose in light of today's financial news, most of the planned Denver infill projects that have not begun construction yet are going to freeze?
I'm not well versed in financing but I want to know if any of Denver's projects are financed by one of the banks that just went or are going under, and what happens to the project if they are? And if not, to what extent are they effected by the market as a whole?
The judge of a really great city is that the residents, visitors and workers deserve this type of attention to details as a quality of life issue, not just because an event spurred the City into action. Let's hope we are deserving enough to keep the water flowing forever!
Fountain at 20th and Logan is called Benedict Fountain. Whereabouts on Speer is the Hungarian?
I'm putting together a photo-essay on Denver fountains, I'd appreciate any pointers.
ha ha. the fountains were "unwisely" turned off during the drought. yeah, that was stupid alright.
Sad to report, as of Sunday the 21st, 3 of the 4 fountains Ken mentioned are again shut down. Pioneer Monument is still partially working.
The seals in Civic Center are still working, but the one at 16th and Broadway is dry.
Bruce,
From the website of the Colorado Historical Society's Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation:
HUNGARIAN FREEDOM PARK / ARLINGTON PARK
Bounded by Speer Blvd., 1st Ave. & Clarkson St.
National Register 9/17/1986, 5DV.5321
Hungarian Freedom and Alamo Placita Parks illustrate the early plan to develop parks facing each other on opposite sides of Speer Boulevard and Cherry Creek. The formal Italian gardens of the Alamo Placita Park section were designed to be viewed from the hillside of Hungarian Freedom Park (formerly Arlington Park) which, in turn, was to be viewed from Alamo Placita Park as a meadowed hillside backed by an evergreen forest. Saco R. DeBoer designed both parks: Hungarian Freedom in 1925 and Alamo Placita in 1927.
Ah, excellent, thanks, Vicki!
Further research shows that the fountain now located in Hungarian Freedom Park was designed by Jacques Benedict for the May Bonfils Berryman estate in Lakewood. The same Benedict for whom Benedict Fountain Park at 20th and Logan was named. That park holds another nearly identical fountain, currently dry.