Fairhope, Alabama
2009 PUBLIC ART PROJECT
The Mullet Run fountain-sculpture behind the history museum is currently out of commission; pebbles installed by creator/artist Ameri'ca Jones-Galaspy around the interior of the basin are coming off and clogging the pump; lack of proper maintenance (water chemistry) over the years may have been a factor.
According to reports from the time, the fountain-sculpture was funded with a $100K grant from the Eastern Shore Art Center's Committee on Public Art:
"Mullet Run by Ameri'ca Jones-Gallaspy won a competition sponsored by COPA to design and fabricate a fountain in the Museum Plaza Park. The fountain with its curved bronze bowl lined with river pebbles sporting bronze mullets on rods will be completed in the summer of 2009. The area around the fountain will be decorated with pavers designed and fabricated with clay indigenous to Baldwin County by John Rezner of Fairhope."
IMPROPER MAINTENANCE TO BLAME?
Sources say that it was originally intended to be a salt water only fountain, but chlorine was added later because the salt was thought to be damaging underwater lighting equipment. (A lightning strike may have further damaged electrical components.)
The river pebbles themselves may not have been properly set in place during construction, according to another source from the time.
A preliminary estimate to replace the pebbles with more durable tile (and other needed improvements) is $15K.
Council President Burrell said they were looking into repair options: "I won't pass blame, but chemicals were put in the fountain by well-intended persons which is believed to have caused the damage. Do we repair what we have, or do we tear out the ring of rocks at the top of the basin and replace with tiles? The rocks are not your typical rocks, they are fitting for the sculpture/fountain and painstakingly placed. We are trying to determine if a lasting repair of the rock trim is even possible."
Mayor Wilson, who made establishing a new city maintenance department a priority after she took office, cited it as another example of shortcomings of the past: "... you cannot change a salt water fountain into a chlorine fountain ... ever. This is something that facility maintenance or utilities would need to maintain in the future."
2009 PUBLIC ART PROJECT
The Mullet Run fountain-sculpture behind the history museum is currently out of commission; pebbles installed by creator/artist Ameri'ca Jones-Galaspy around the interior of the basin are coming off and clogging the pump; lack of proper maintenance (water chemistry) over the years may have been a factor.
According to reports from the time, the fountain-sculpture was funded with a $100K grant from the Eastern Shore Art Center's Committee on Public Art:
"Mullet Run by Ameri'ca Jones-Gallaspy won a competition sponsored by COPA to design and fabricate a fountain in the Museum Plaza Park. The fountain with its curved bronze bowl lined with river pebbles sporting bronze mullets on rods will be completed in the summer of 2009. The area around the fountain will be decorated with pavers designed and fabricated with clay indigenous to Baldwin County by John Rezner of Fairhope."
 |
| Under construction in 2009 |
IMPROPER MAINTENANCE TO BLAME?
Sources say that it was originally intended to be a salt water only fountain, but chlorine was added later because the salt was thought to be damaging underwater lighting equipment. (A lightning strike may have further damaged electrical components.)
The river pebbles themselves may not have been properly set in place during construction, according to another source from the time.
A preliminary estimate to replace the pebbles with more durable tile (and other needed improvements) is $15K.
Council President Burrell said they were looking into repair options: "I won't pass blame, but chemicals were put in the fountain by well-intended persons which is believed to have caused the damage. Do we repair what we have, or do we tear out the ring of rocks at the top of the basin and replace with tiles? The rocks are not your typical rocks, they are fitting for the sculpture/fountain and painstakingly placed. We are trying to determine if a lasting repair of the rock trim is even possible."
Mayor Wilson, who made establishing a new city maintenance department a priority after she took office, cited it as another example of shortcomings of the past: "... you cannot change a salt water fountain into a chlorine fountain ... ever. This is something that facility maintenance or utilities would need to maintain in the future."
 |
| Pebbles falling off. |
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