Price rising over Riverfront fountain
The price of building an artistic spray fountain in Riverfront Park shot skyward last month, so much that project proponents now are asking the city to kick in as much as $125,000 of additional funding for the project.
The city Park Board had already pledged $425,000 to the fountain, scheduled for construction this year at the Howard Street entrance along Spokane Falls Boulevard. A flower bed that formerly occupied the site has already been removed.
On Thursday, the board will be asked to approve the increase for what’s now become a $1.5 million project. The meeting will be at 1:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers and televised on City Cable Channel 5. The board’s finance committee voted to recommend the budget increase at a meeting in February.
Sponsored by Rotary 21 downtown, the fountain is expected to be part sculpture and part play feature with a series of jets and sprays timed to lights and music. Water would soar to a height of four stories. The fountain’s 155 jets would be capable of throwing 3,500 gallons of water a minute. An underground vault will capture and recycle the water, which will be filtered so park users can play in it.
When the fountain was first promoted three years ago, it was estimated it would cost $1.25 million. Higher prices for steel, concrete, copper, aluminum and oil are being blamed for the inflation.
Dan Cadagan, who is spearheading the project for the Rotary club, said his organization will have to raise an additional $100,000 to cover the increased costs. “We’re going to get her done,” Cadagan said.
Project proponents rejected the idea of trimming back on the fountain design because they wanted to maintain the integrity of the original design, they said. The city’s share of the money will go toward construction of a plaza that will surround the fountain.
Parks officials said they plan to take money from an account held for development of park-owned property on the North Bank, where a science center has been proposed. That money came from a voter-approved bond issue in 1999, as did the city’s original $425,000 pledge.
Park Board President Jeff Halstead said the city had set aside $250,000 for possible environmental cleanup of soils at the North Bank property. He said cleanup apparently will not cost as much as anticipated, giving the department additional bond money to cover the shortfall in the fountain project.
Elsewhere in Riverfront Park, work on a new gondola is expected to start this month after city staff completed a contract with Doppelmayr CTEC for a major rebuild of the popular ride. Work is expected to begin on tower removal this month.
Halstead said the new $2.5 million gondola could be opened by July depending on the progress of Monroe Street Bridge repairs. The ride won’t be opened until it is safe for the cars to pass under the bridge, he said.