Local News

Fountains flowing again outside Rousseau Centre

(Photo Supplied/Downtown Fort Wayne)

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): After an absence of about six years, water is once again flowing from the pair of decorative fountains outside the county-owned Rousseau Centre plaza. That’s the most obvious part of a just-completed year-long project designed to repair and upgrade most of the plaza.

The fountains have been turned off since 2012 after several attempts to repair leaking problems were unsuccessful. Last year, Allen County Commissioners approved plans that called for demolishing the old concrete stands, replacing the flat roof under the plaza and installing a protective membrane, reworking the drainage, replacing the pavers and restoring the fountains. The total cost of the project involving the west, south and east sides of the plaza was $2 million.

Each fountain has six spray nozzles and holds approximately 6,500 gallons of water. Not only did the fountains get an overhaul, but two new pumps and two new filter systems installed. Additionally, all new coping was placed around each fountain to accent the new plaza pavers.

“It took the design of architects at Martin Riley, the hard work of the general contractor CME, their subcontractors, and our own maintenance department to whip those two fountains back into shape,” said Vance Hernandez, director of county buildings and grounds maintenance.

Hernandez said it is hoped work on the north side of the Rousseau Centre plaza can take place next year. That project would include adding new pavers, replacing the roof underneath the pavers and performing landscape work.

The north side project will be a collaboration with the City of Fort Wayne, the Plaza Condo Association, and Arts United designed to help better connect The Landing project on the west side of the Rousseau Centre to the Arts United campus on the east side.

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