Ely Square fountain officially turned on after two-year wait

ELYRIA — Elyrians marked Memorial Day by turning on the long-awaited new Ely Fountain. Although the fountain has been mostly finished since late last year, it officially was turned on during the Memorial Day remembrance ceremony for veterans who gave their lives in service. Mayor Frank Whitfield said it was the perfect day to turn on the fountain in a square that is full of tributes to veterans. He recognized the role past administrations had in the construction of the new fountain, particularly former Mayor Holly Brinda. The start of building a new fountain traces back to 2017, the city's bicentennial year. The city began a donation drive and gathered public input from residents. Brinda credited the bicentennial committee and residents for helping get plans for the new fountain going. Construction began in 2019, and although there were hopes it would be finished by the end of that year, delays pushed it out into late 2020. A sewer collapse city officials didn't know about until the old fountain was demolished was partly to blame for the delays. There also was a 30-year-old unexplainable electrical conduit. The pandemic then delayed the project even further. The fountain itself essentially was complete by July 2020, but brick pavers needed to be replaced, as well as plaques put in. Several City Council members pushed for the fountain to be completed in its entirety. Work finished in fall 2020, but cold weather prevented the water from being turned on at that time. The new fountain cost around $400,000 and was paid for out of private donations, part of a Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council grant, Issue 6 funds and Community Development Block Grant funds. The last fountain was built in 1974. Wear and tear made it no longer operational. Much of the work on the new fountain was done in-house, and Whitfield acknowledged the city's department employees that helped make the fountain possible. Bill Forthofer managed the project between two mayoral administrations. Whitfield said there's a host of events planned around Ely Square this summer, including Third Thursdays and the Elyria Farmers Market. "As we come out of this darkness and chaos of the pandemic, let the waters of this fountain be sources of peace in our city," Whitfield said. "And let this fountain be a light of hope for our future." Jim Vandemark spelled out the storied history of the fountain, which includes fish, turtles and alligators. The first fountain was built in 1851 and the water was supplied by a red mill at the base of East Falls. According to Vandemark, records show the fountain was replaced in 1880 and there have been four more fountains since then. That makes the newest fountain the seventh to grace Ely Square. Vandemark said many of the fountains had rock formations and elaborate sculptures. There also was an assortment of wildlife. In 1908, fishermen caught fish and let them loose into the fountain. And sometime in the 1900s, an alligator named Mutt was added. During the cold winter months, Mutt was stored in a tank in the basement of a fire station. Somehow a baby alligator was added to the mix, although at the time officials were uncertain as to why. He was named Jeff, and Mutt adopted him, although Vandemark said he almost ate Jeff at one point. Turtles and other fish also had a home in the fountain, and when they were gone, people put coins in. The new fountain likely won't see a return of wildlife, mostly because the health department doesn't allow it anymore. Brinda, who oversaw some of the work in her administration, said the fountain was a labor of love. She thanked the donors for supporting the fountain and said it's once again become a focal point of downtown. Brinda encouraged residents to take a look at the donor sign posted by the fountain and look at who all contributed to the project. She called the fountain a symbol of civic pride for the city, and said it's something else they can have downtown in addition to a new library, high school, courthouse and businesses coming in. "I was just so proud," she said. "... I think it was worth the wait. We've had a fountain for six generations on our square and they've each been unique to the generations they've served. It's a special place." After the fountain was turned on, the city held a Memorial Day parade downtown. Contact Laina Yost at (440) 329-7121 or lyost@chroniclet.com.