Washington hopes to have fountain running by week’s end

WASHINGTON — The iconic centennial fountain in Washington’s central park is undergoing repairs, but should hopefully be running within the week, according to one municipal official.

City Parks Superintendent Nick Pacha said the fixture needed some repairs, the parts for which took time to acquire. He said the fountain faced some general wear and tear trouble, but that crews would also try to improve its lighting while it was off.

“(It’s) hard to keep an 85-year-old fountain going,” he said in an email. “If all goes well we should have it on later this week.”

The centerpiece of Washington’s square is shut off every winter, replaced with a metal covering and light display that mimics the water feature, albeit without the changing colors or shifting patterns every 15 seconds.

The city usually runs the fountain for half the year, from early or mid-May through the start of October, but the exact timeline isn’t set in stone.

“We typically try and have it up and running for Kidzfest if things go perfect,” Pacha said. “We definitely get it going by Memorial Day-Labor Day, but we have been going through the first of October lately, trying to keep it running for the Fall Craft Fair and Homecoming activities. It just depends on the temperatures and leaves falling when we shut it down.”

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