Fountains of youth

Angelique Flores

FOUNTAIN VALLEY -- Nam Doan thinks the city’s fountain is interesting,

but could use a lot of improvement.

The 9-year-old Cox Elementary School fourth-grader and his 25 classmates

want to show city officials just how how to do it.

The fourth- and fifth-grade class has been working on redesigning the

13-year-old waterworks since teacher Carrie Slayback read about the

city’s search for fountain designs.

“The minute I told my class, they were drawing,” Slayback said.

Students have been learning about different types of fountains, nozzles

and pumps to make the project more real. They have walked to City Hall to

see the tan, tiled fountain and take measurements. There, city officials

showed them the existing pumps, nozzles and drains. Councilwoman Laurann

Cook also visited the class to teach them about the city’s history.

Over the past two months, the students have diligently created prototypes

with designs that include everything from interactive buttons and music

to jumping springs and sensors that would stop the flow of water to allow

people to walk through them.

“[The city] wanted us to stick to the color theme of red tile, but I

think it should blue,” said Hanna Karson, 9.

Others think it should be white marble, green tile, glazed blue tile,

terra cotta, concrete or brushed aluminum. But some are sticking to the

city’s desire that the fountain reflect the early abundance of artesian

wells and swamps.

“That’s why mine has rocks and trees,” said Kelsey Peterson, 9.

Each design has a three-dimensional view, a top view and a cutaway view,

complete with nozzles, the types of materials needed, drain designs,

pipelines to the pump and, for some, a means of recycling water.

Though the students each have their own color scheme and style, most

agree the “plain” and “ugly” fountain should be replaced with something

more exciting.

The Fountain Valley Women’s Club raised $22,000 with the help of

residents and organizations to pay for the existing fountain, which was

built in 1987. The city plans to replace the fountain because of higher

than expected repair and maintenance costs. The new fountain will cost

about $100,000, which has been funded by an anonymous private donation.

The city will take every design into consideration and may give some of

the ideas to an architect, City Manager Ray Kromer said.Even if their

designs aren’t chosen, the students said they are excited their ideas

will be framed and will soon hang in City Hall.