Friendship Fountain: The Truth Beneath the Lies

[gatorback]

alright then, but i'm telling ya it's prime parking police property if i've ever seen it...

[Steve]

So, how are the "redevelopment" plans coming.....

[Ocklawaha]

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

[ErikCP]

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.

[gatorback]

Our city's history is what FBC says it is.

[Doctor_K]

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.

[Bob_Johnson]

Another mention of "relocating" Kids Kampus in this Jax Daily Record article regarding future plans for Metro Park, dated Oct 24, 2008...

"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

[thelakelander]

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.

[jacksonvilleconfidential]

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.

[blizz01]

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........

[jacksonvilleconfidential]

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.

[Keith-N-Jax]

I saw that to when I watched the Jags game I had taped. I looked very very sad.

[gatorback]

No money to make improvements.

[tufsu1]

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).

[Ethylene]

This report just in today 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.”