After meeting my dear wife Karen for lunch at Festa Italiana this afternoon, I passed through Clinton Square, smack dab in the heart of downtown Syracuse, on the way back to my car.
Oh, what I saw on this Friday, Sept. 18, in upstate New York.
The law of the Square.
Nobody’s supposed to use the dancing waters in the big fountain in this history square for anything other than eye candy. It says so right there in red on white.
Hover over and gallery photo for a description. Click on the bottom right photo in any gallery for an enlarged slide show.
Perhaps the powers that be do not want the history of the square tarnished by swimmers in stagnant water. Perhaps they are worried about the general health of the city’s citizens.
A lot of rules.
This group of folks were not obeying this day. They seemed to be having a blast in the shallow inches lying on top of the concrete and the many feet spraying high overhead.
When I climbed into my car and turned the key, the digital dash thermometer read 90º F.
Yup.
Have you ever bathed in a water fountain, and if so, what were the circumstances? Would you allow people in your family to do this, and why or why not? Which is your favorite photo, and why?
Mark Bialczak 
I always obey the rules, so I would be lifting an eyebrow to their choices. That last pic looks like a mini version of the Bellagio water show.
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Tell me about it, Kerbey. I, too, obey laws, rules, and most reasonable suggestions.
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That one person standing over the jets looks like they might potentially end up with an unexpected enema. I myself have “accidentally” fallen into many bodies of water as a child but never purposefully gone into a fountain. That just seems like something one would do if they didn’t have any other place to go for a bath. Syracuse seems like a beautiful city with some amazing architecture.
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In some spots, downtown is quite fetching, SD. More to come. 🙂 Now about the fountain spigot location … eeew.
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Yowza might be more like it if one happened to be in the right location at the wrong time!!!!
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looks very tempting! I’ve never bathed in a water fountain in the UK as I don’t like being cold! Could give it a go in California perhaps?!
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You get one or two warm days, Rachel, right? Still, I don’t see you as the fountain-swimming type. 🙂
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you are right on both counts mark 🙂
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I’m sure the sign was there for the simple reason that there was no lifeguard on duty. Safety first!
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Yeah, put that on your resume, Bill. Lifeguard at the three-inch-deep pool. Love it.
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You never know when a group of Munchkins might show up for a dip…
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The Lollipop Kids ready to bellyflop!
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I like Looks Like Surfing and Water Allure because they show those impressive buildings in the background. Must be a lot of history in that downtown section of the city.
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There is a lot of architectural glory there, for sure, Deborah. Good eye!
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Nice photos. 🙂
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Thanks, Deborah. 🙂
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I would play in a fountain, if not prohibited. I would not allow my kids if it was prohibited. But to tell you the truth….sometimes I do understand the pull of the water to play in even if it says not to. And it’s 90 out. And there is something pleasantly and innocently fun about watching others stomp around in water….. But, rules, we gotta have them MBM!
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Yes, it’s a see-saw of the mind, this particular place and that specific rule, MBC. I agree.
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How did you know I bought candy with it?
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Good guesser, I am, Rose. 🙂
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Well you’re right! Chocolate covered raisins
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Remember the movie ads, Rose? Goobers and Raisinettes …
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I do. I could never order Goobers, I’d get embarrassed
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Yeah, quite the name.
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I never went playing in fountains but when I was a kid I used to reach in and take out the money thrown in for wishes.
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Now there’s a twist to this story I didn’t expect, Rose. I hope the candy delighted you!
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When I was about the age of five I swam in the fountain pool at the local public swimming pool, the fountain pool that was not supposed to be swum in. It looked rather empty (so much water, so little people). I remember being ushered out of there quite quickly when my mother realised where I had escaped to. (I was loving it).
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Ao you’re the OTHER ONE, Vonita. Also, well and healthy. No scars from swimming in the fountain. Yay, you.
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Swimming in the fountain was fun Mark, I had to fight off no-one, since I was the only one there! 🙂
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I like the picture that shows the row of water jets side on – with the person bent over in the middle. I honestly haven’t waded in a fountain but I would if it got hot enough. Putting water installations in public parks where the temperatures get very high, is asking people to dip their toes. It would be like putting a buffet in a neighborhood full of hungry people and telling them it is an art installation so don’t eat it. Ha! Fat chance. Whoever designed the water feature should have kept that in mind. I’m sure that with some additional filtration and maintenance, the same installation could be safe for public wading.
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Good analogy, Paul. Here’s the big snag with the Clinton Square Fountain: It’s not permanent. They shut it down to use the concrete space for events half the time, covering up the jet apparatus with rubber mats and rugs. Thus the open space can’t be marred with any chemicals and such. Also, from November through March, up go the boards, and in goes the outdoor skating rink, right on that spot.
So, that leaves less finagling with the fountain. My opinion.
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Ahhhh! Pretty in winter with the lights.. 😀
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Hmmmm. Where were the parents? Although I don’t love having to follow rules (unlike Mr. B who loves rules), I still would not allow my kids to do that. The only dipping or stepping I have done is at our local spray park when the kids were little. You never saw me laying on the cement because not unlike pools, urine is a very common liquid found at spray parks! 🙂 🙂
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Mom was right in with them, Mrs. B. Here, check her out in this photo:
Yes, I agree. There’s something other than water in these places. And, oh, I’m like Mr. B with MOST rules.
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A flat, shallow fountain is usually meant for people to paddle around in. I don’t think that was the wisest design for Syracuse to approve just for that reason.
We have one in Chicago called the Crown Fountain. Imagine two 50-ft high glass blocks at two ends of a huge shallow reflecting pool with water running down them. The blocks just show these digital images of people’s faces randomly one at a time. Every so often, the faces purse their lips and water comes out of their mouths. The kids go nuts and run under the spouting water.
http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_s_publicartcrownfountaininmillenniumpark.html
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Now that’s freaky and art and way cool and a-head of its time. Love it. Thanks, for the link, Karen.
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You’re welcome. It is even better in person. The Sprog can attest to that.
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yes, i have taken a step or two into a public fountain in my time )
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I knew YOU were the one, Beth. 😉 And you’re fine. I worry too much?
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90f? It was 19c/67f here today. 😦 I like the photos with the defiant woman in the fountain Mark. Too many rules there. ❤
Diana xo
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All the rules are for safety, no doubt. But there sure are a lot. Why put the space there … Oh, what a debate there can be, Diana.
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That lady looks safe to me! 😉
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Yeah. For the moment, she sure does.
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I have never bathed in a fountain, and I would not allow my children to. However, I like how outdoor hot, family places like the zoo and the sculpture gardens now have splash & play type places for people to cool off. I’m all about staying cool, but no public fountains, no.
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This fountain and bathing has become a city issue here, Joey. They should have known it would and will happen. Chlorinate the darn thing? That would stain the concrete, and they drain it every weekend for festivals. See? Issues.
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I do see. Yep.
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Would love some football weather right about now. Will be eating my words in a few months. Still…☺
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We all are going to get that wish soon, so soon, too soon, Van. 😮
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I thought the whole point of the public fountain was to give every American a place to bathe. Of course, the are forever frozen over here in Maine…
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They freeze this one over on purpose for a skating rink here, solves the whole issue, Austin.
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Such forward thinkers! I hope they make sure no one is bathing in it before they freeze it!
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They just throw them a pair of rental skates, on the house!
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I guess that’s okay…
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That’s a tad toasty for you all this time of year isn’t it?
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It is quite warm-ish, Skipah. No complaining, though, for soon enough comes Jack Frost and the Snow King.
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A fountain pool that large is just begging for people to dip their toes in on a 90 degree day. Perhaps the city planners should have considered that. Personally, I have never waded in a fountain, nor let me kids do so – but there were very few fountains around whenever I took my kids anywhere so it really wasn’t an issue.
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I agree that putting this thing as is, where is, and expecting nobody to go in it is quite the fairy tale, CM.
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Ah I think the 90 degrees got to the adult in charge brain? NO none of mine would dare! It is funny always 1-2 in a crowd to buck the system -Terp! The Gatorette
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I wouldn’t do it, Gatorette. No way.
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Terp most level headed law abiding citizens wouldn’t either????
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Perhaps, Gatorette.
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If it said not to, I wouldn’t, but M has done this before at a local mall with a similar setup (no prohibition though). My only complaint then was it was last second and I didn’t have a towel in the car!
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No towel, no good, J. Drip dry in the car is quite the mess.
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Beautiful photos- I have seen people wading into public fountains but have never done so myself!
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It’s too dirty for me, Lisa.
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That’s funny Mark that is exactly what I was thinking too!!
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Nice post Mark 🙂
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Thank you, Irene!
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Oh wow, that’s pretty funny! When I first started reading the article I was kind of thinking why a sign like that would even be necessary but apparently it is. No, the only kind of public fountain I would let me kids or myself go in would be one expressly made for that purpose though, I gotta say, it does look tempting!
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I think that’s part of the problem, Marissa. Too tempting!
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