Friendship Fountain: The Truth Beneath the Lies
(http://www.metrojacksonville.com/images/friendship_fountain/FountainFrontpage.jpg)
If the city has its way, Friendship Fountain, one of Jacksonville’s most recognizable landmarks, is well on its way to being destroyed and replaced by a new interactive kiddie pool along with a downtown resembling Sesame Street.
Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/200
Great information. Just the thought of the city destroying what I too consider a downtown landmark is infuriating. The mayor and his administration constantly scream "budget," yet based on these numbers they again want to waste taxpayers money on something that just needs some repair. What total hypocrisy? This information NEEDS to be shared with all of Jacksonville so they too can see what a foolish idea this is, and a very, very bad waste of money. I know I will be passing this information to everyone I know.
Please, Oh please, DO NOT destroy the beautiful friendship fountain. It's one of the crown jewels and truly distinctive landmarks in downtown Jacksonville.
The beautiful fountain should be restored to its former glory, it's the one thing us as taxpayers would like to see our money spent on (Not $500,000 for a study and then say 800,000+ is too much to repair). Repair the fountain and forget the kid fountain idea. The kids park at Metro Park is far enough away from the water that the parents can enjoy being with their children, and Chaparones for Field Trips can properly watch them. The site at Friendship Park would be a nightmare for field trips, with a kids park so close to the St. Johns River. Children's safety should be foremost on everyone's mind.
Hello again I just saw all this informatiom you have here and i'm simply outraged. Why the hell does this city spend so much money to build a part only to now want to relocate it. this is like the U.S.S Kennedy getting completely rebuilt at a cost of 3 mill and not she's to be decomissioned only like a year and a half after all that work was done. My question is why? What are you people in charge of our city thinking where does all these ideas get justified? You can't see spend oh 865,000 but you can see spending millions to destroy that which so many love. Well i'm outraged you people have no place in charge of anything if this is how you do such a small item I could only imagine how much of our tax dollars are getting used for god knows what. By the way what happens after you take the fountain then 5 years goes by then you decide to set your sites on the mosh next? There is absolutly no justified act or reasoning for this leave the city the way it is if you must go ahead with this plan build on that vacant lot over near the florida board of educations building theres a great piece of property just begging for use. Well i'm finished with my speech AND I ABSOLUTELY DON'T STAND OR AGREE WITH YOUR IDEA'S FOR OUR FOUNTAIN LEAVE IT ALONE AND REPAIR YES REPAIR IT.:(
The city spends so much to build a "park" now to want to relocate it. This is like the U.S.S Kennedy getting renovated at a cost of 3 mill only "now" to get decomissioned.Where do all of these idea's get justified? you can't see spending oh 865,000 but the million rage is ok huh? These are the typo's so this way you people understand exactly what I was saying here today. Speak loud and often Keep the past alive.
But the million "range" is ok huh?
Let the children play in the fountains at the Landing (located directly across the river). Oh, I forgot, the parents have no place to park their car. My My Mayor Peyton, not much of a planner are you?
So what is the status of this project. Is anything still in the works? There are so many projects well over a year old that have shown absolutely no signs of progress.
A city of a million people can't even get a simple fountain working? come on...
San Francisco wouldn't replace the Golden Gate Bridge
New York wouldn't update Miss Liberty in a Bikini
St. Louis wouldn't sell the silver gateway arch to Mickey D's.
Hollywood wouldn't remove the giant hillside sign that shouts it's name
Charleston would never level Fort Sumpter for a Condo Complex
Washington wouldn't remove the Lincoln memorial and replace it with a statue of Jefferson BY-GOD Davis. (though I might support that idea)
But Jacksonville, with a landmark, WORLD FAMOUS fountain, would destroy it for a 7-11 store!
Why can't we just repair the original, and surround it with interactive kiddie fountains built into the surrounding sidewalks? The best of both worlds never seem to occur to us... BTW, have we ever fixed the helment on the Spanish soldier in the parK? It was broken prior to 1980!
IF the day comes to rip it up, we should all surround it in mass, and dare them to cross the line in the rubble. First operator over our line is tossed into the river!
Ocklawaha
They better not rip up this fountain! This place was one of my first experiences to the city of Jacksonville and inspired my desire to move there. My family and I went there for the North Florida Sports Festival Swim Meet in '91, and when we walked from the Landing to the fountain, I truly realized how beautiful the city was. I didn't need to splash around in a pool to enjoy it...and I was only 16!
Please tell me nothing has happened to this great landmark.
Quote from: Ocklawaha on December 11, 2007, 11:41:28 AM
San Francisco wouldn't replace the Golden Gate Bridge
New York wouldn't update Miss Liberty in a Bikini
St. Louis wouldn't sell the silver gateway arch to Mickey D's.
Hollywood wouldn't remove the giant hillside sign that shouts it's name
Charleston would never level Fort Sumpter for a Condo Complex
Washington wouldn't remove the Lincoln memorial and replace it with a statue of Jefferson BY-GOD Davis. (though I might support that idea)
But Jacksonville, with a landmark, WORLD FAMOUS fountain, would destroy it for a 7-11 store!
Why can't we just repair the original, and surround it with interactive kiddie fountains built into the surrounding sidewalks? The best of both worlds never seem to occur to us... BTW, have we ever fixed the helment on the Spanish soldier in the parK? It was broken prior to 1980!
IF the day comes to rip it up, we should all surround it in mass, and dare them to cross the line in the rubble. First operator over our line is tossed into the river!
Ocklawaha
We all don't have to worry. Friendship Fountain is here to stay :D. Its not going anywhere. So let's just all relax! The Mayor's "Big Idea" proposal is already forgotten by now. 8)
^ Yeah, I didn't realize that this topic was over a year old. I remember this plan being discussed at MetJax, and I was thankful that they canceled it. I need to take my wife and son there soon!
I think it's the perfect location for street level parking...gosh, we don't have water to waste and we need to do something with all those parking meters we ordered last year from cousin Billy Bob's downtown Baptist Book Store and Parking Meter Research Center.
leave it be my fountain aint bothering nobody and besides i like it
alright then, but i'm telling ya it's prime parking police property if i've ever seen it...
So, how are the "redevelopment" plans coming.....
International Idea... Fix the fountain and make it even more fantastic, do the dancing water, video with music number on it... Give us music videos on a water screen, Shoot that sucker 200' high. Then surround the entire pond (sidewalk area) with tons of interactive play fountains...
Jacksonville Idea... Tear out those pumps and put a bait and tackle store down there, we can sell Jax and Gator Lager too. Use the old fountain as a bait farm, surround it with a genuine 1930's era tourist court, and rent small fishing boats with 4 HP motors along the old riverwalk. Gosh darn Gomer, we'd have the Worlds largest fish camp! If we tore down that stupid museum we'd even have room for a bowling alley!
Your right Stephendare, "NOT A CHIRP IN A CARLOAD" (former resident: Oliver Hardy)
Ocklawaha
So are we certain the foutain is safe as of 8/7/08?
BTW this site is awsome, keep up the good work! I'm a Jax native and 3rd generation, and what is crazy is how our city's history is so ignored in the general population eye.
Everyone seems to have mentally written off downtown as a lost cause, its such a shame. I refuse to, and its great to see other like minded folks as well.
Our city's history is what FBC says it is.
Quote from: gatorback on August 07, 2008, 11:50:33 AM
Our city's history is what FBC says it is.
It's also lost to the masses because of the woefully inept reporting and researching capabilities of the local broadcast and print media, and their respective online outlets. Apathy for just about everything amongst the larger general public - outside pro- and college-football, Monster Jam, and the Warped Tour - is just astounding.
Another mention of "relocating" Kids Kampus in this Jax Daily Record article regarding future plans for Metro Park, dated Oct 24, 2008...
Quote"evaluating the feasibility of expanding Metropolitan Park into the space occupied by Kids Kampus and possibly the WJCT property, both of which could be accommodated in another location off the riverfront."
http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=51089
I get real nervous whenever they mention relocating Kids Kampus based on the Administrations past intentions as noted here:
http://www.news4jax.com/news/9771462/detail.html
It is my personal belief that the Administation is just waiting for the outer ring pump to go belly up and then they will have all the ammunition they need to go ahead and tear out Friendship Fountain.
It is a sad situation but one that the current Administration seems H*** bent on pushing through...
-Bob
http://JaxFountain.com
Bob, its important that supporters of Friendship Fountain show up at this event. This is a chance to be proactive and suggest that Kids Kampus stays put. With the money recently invested in its construction, there's no reason it can't be a part of a better plan for that area.
I love Friendship Fountain. I grew up in St. Nicholas and spent just about every single summer day riding around it and the MOSH.
Save the fountain.
CBS showed an aerial of the fountain during the Jags game Sunday. Man, it looks REALLY crappy - Even if they never fix the main pump(s), they should paint the bottom or put some dye in there or something & one of those cheap retention pond pump/fountains.........SOMETHING! The fountain near the stadium (by the TV studio) is more impressive these days........
I do admit Friendship Fountain is looking rather sad these days, I remember it in all its glory. People used to be around the fountain all the time. That is a great part of the SouthBank and something really needs to be done to restore it back it its old glory.
I saw that to when I watched the Jags game I had taped. I looked very very sad. :'(
No money to make improvements.
Quote from: thelakelander on October 28, 2008, 12:51:31 PM
Bob, its important that supporters of Friendship Fountain show up at this event. This is a chance to be proactive and suggest that Kids Kampus stays put. With the money recently invested in its construction, there's no reason it can't be a part of a better plan for that area.
I was a participant in the Jax Pride charette on Metropolitan Park on Saturday....Ocklawaha was there as well....many good ideas came out of the event.
Most people thought that the park needed to be more inviting for folks of all ages....while Kids Kampus is nice (when not dilapidated), it is still fenced off from other parts of the park for security....we were also told that the band shell/tent and WJCT were off-limits for discussion.
From what I understand, the City's design consultant (HDR) will take the info. garnered Saturday and develop a master plan/design for the park next year....and the Mayor would like to bid the work out for construction as soon as early 2010 (depending on funding).
This report just in today http://jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=52482 (http://jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=52482):
And now according to M. Skipper: “The short-term work will be done to soften the area. There is a lot of cement and not much green space,†she said. “In no way would we contemplate getting rid of the fountain.â€
I seem to remember a previous estimate to repair the foutain pumps in order to make it fully operational was around $300k. IMO, fix the fountain first and then focus on the rest of the park.
“In no way would we contemplate getting rid of the fountain†should probably read, “We are no longer planning to demolish the fountain.â€
(http://www.metrojacksonville.com/images/friendship_fountain/BobJohnsondocument.jpg)
Hopefully they dropped the above plan.
what exactly is a childerns? is it similar to a chirrens?
Wow - I've seen this image a thousand times, and never saw this.