A few months back...

"Fountain by civic center:

Glen Ellyn Village Officials informally agreed to put a 5-foot water fountain in front of the civic center at 535 Duane St. Village President Vicky Hase said the village has roughly $1,000 in its budget for beautification, and board members agreed the accessory would enhance the area. Officials said they intend to finalize plans in the coming months."

Today...

"As part of its beautification program, the Village will be installing a fountain in front of the Civic Center this spring. A cast iron fountain has been selected for the site due to its weather-resistance and low maintenance requirements. The fountain will be composed of a material and color that will complement the light poles in the Central Business District, providing a decorative
and unifying addition to the streetscape."

After doing a small Google search of cast iron fountains, you'll be surprised to hear that I am not quite certain how the village is going to pull this off for $1,000. Cast iron fountains are expensive. Really expensive. Unless you are planning to install a table top model. Like the ill-fated and much-maligned Floral Clock that Joe left us (I'm happy Matthews didn't feel the need to leave a garden ornament legacy behind as he left office), I can only imagine what the need for a fountain is when there are benches in the CBD that are rotting in their frames and garbage receptacles that need replacement/adding to.

$1,000...good one. I think there is a FOIA request in my future once this thing is done.

Next on the agenda...concrete frog lawn ornaments at Five Corners to detract the eye from the unsightly gas station shell.

It'd be great if someone made up little cards to pass out in front of the PADS facilities to guide our guests to the new "Latrine and Bathing Facility" in Glen Ellyn. I bet then someone would finally do something!!

The French also seem to allow the departing President to buy a gift of his choosing. Les Grands Projets. Mitterrand had I.M. Pei's Louvre pyramid - Chirac the Musee du Quai Branly.

We get broken clocks and cheap fountains.

It may be fitting that as it becomes an ill-maintained, decrepit eyesore favoured by imported homeless we can look at it and recall the legacy it seeks to enshrine.

A replica of this one one would be appropriate.

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:



After doing a small Google search of cast iron fountains, you'll be surprised to hear that I am not quite certain how the village is going to pull this off for $1,000. Cast iron fountains are expensive. Really expensive. Unless you are planning to install a table top model. Like the ill-fated and much-maligned Floral Clock that Joe left us (I'm happy Matthews didn't feel the need to leave a garden ornament legacy behind as he left office), I can only imagine what the need for a fountain is when there are benches in the CBD that are rotting in their frames and garbage receptacles that need replacement/adding to.

$1,000...good one. I think there is a FOIA request in my future once this thing is done.

Next on the agenda...concrete frog lawn ornaments at Five Corners to detract the eye from the unsightly gas station shell.

Maybe the thing is used -you know, from another village?

The frogs-great touch, maybe gnomes or trolls, like Mt. Horeb.

good one, yoss! but as i recall mannekin pis is up really high, and would not facilitate bathing or drinking. plus, they dress him up every day...that would open some possibilities. we could have dressing rights....

Hey Yoss thanks for the photo. I certainly wish I would have had that available when the little Scottys’ were peeing in the back yard. Maybe the threat of turning them to stone would have stopped it earlier than middle school

quote:

Originally posted by scotty:
Hey Yoss thanks for the photo. I certainly wish I would have had that available when the little Scottys’ were peeing in the back yard. Maybe the threat of turning them to stone would have stopped it earlier than middle school

Who said it stopped? Ever wonder why the rhododendron in the back yard turns brown when the whole family is in town?

We do not have a rhododendron! How many times do I have to tell you to stay out of the neighbor's yard?

I think this fountain would be better considering the large number of children in our town:fun fountain

nah, amy...mannekin pis (above) is more tasteless and fun. he (the statue) allegedly saved brussels from burning hundreds of years ago...useful too!

or was it some kid who put out the fire in that manner...can't remember this morning...

I love the spitting boy fountain in Koblenz. It's set to "spit" at random intervals so people travel from all over to shop there and stop by the spitting boy and try their luck at staying dry (or getting wet, depending on the temperature that day). When we were there, it was quite hot and the kids were thrilled to cool off.

Maybe a spitting boy fountain would bring people to Glen Ellyn to shop and dine!

why do we need a fountain in front of the civic center?

Don't question. Just accept the fact that we do.

How about using the horse trough there? then we can make main 2 way so cars coming from the south will see the businesses on main instead of going around them?

Oh wait, I am questioning again. Sorry. I really need to get off these support calls this week, I am spending way too much time here.

Did a quick search to see what kind of fountain you can get for a grand. Which do you think would look best in front of the Civic Center?

Remember, don't spend the entire nut on the fountain! Presumably it will cost at least a buck or two to plumb and install the thing.

Mr. little...way's first comment about a one thousand dollar fountain was that it will cost at least that much to plumb it. What will maintenance, water and electric cost?

THEY ARE LYING TO US!!! LIARS!!!

$1,000 couldn't take the entire board (complete with Stuart and Curt) out to a decent dinner.

I am totally filing a FOIA request when that thing is done. I want to know how much was really set aside...and where the funds came from.

Those are all pretty darn ugly and underwhelming considering how big the Civic Center is...but hey, what do I know? Oh, and my Dad's a plumber and I concur that the plumbing will likely cost most of that $1,000.