Committee to decide future of fountains

Kurt Esposito/Summer Editor STAYING DRY: Student walk past the LOEB fountain in Founders Park in front of the LAEB Building. Earlier this year, Purdue officials announced this and the fountain in the Purdue Mall would be shut off for safety precautions.

By Kyle Boggs
Summer Reporter

Besides the clock tower, Purdue's fountains are some of the most recognizable physical features that the campus has to offer.

Since they were constructed, the fountains have been focal points and meeting places. They have provided a traditional source of entertainment known as "fountain runs." Fountain runs are outings when students, usually in groups, run through the fountains as if they were giant sprinklers.

These days, the fountains are seldom on at all.

Last April, the University announced that the fountains were becoming a safety hazard and decided that it would be best for small fences to be put around them.

The University isn't really concerned that students will hurt themselves, but there have been cases in the past of small children slipping and falling, or even being knocked down because of the high water pressure, said Joe Bennett, vice president of University Relations.

"The fences would prevent people from running through them; the issue here is safety," he said.

Because so many students spoke out and made their objection to the fences known, a committee was set up to study the issue and come up with a solution to fit everyone's needs.

Graham Cooks, a professor of chemistry and member of the Architecture Landscape Planning Committee, said that even though no developments can be seen yet, the committee is currently making good progress.

As of today, the fountains are only turned on if someone "rents" them. For twenty dollars per half hour, the water will be turned on for appropriate groups, and a stationed man will be there to look out for safety, said Cooks.

"They (the University) are over-concerned in my opinion," he said.

"But I'm hopeful that it will all work out and be satisfactory to everyone."

The University was a little surprised to see that so many students spoke out about the issue, said Cooks.

"People really do love the fountains; they were a great addition," said Bennett. "We're hopeful that we'll come up with a solution before summer's over."

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