Hello bottle-free devotees,
It's been a while since we've shared major updates on Spring to the Tap's Enumclaw Fountain Project. In short, the fountain has been trapped in a cycle of setbacks.
Here's a recap:
As early as 2014, Spring to the Tap identified the corner of Cole Street and Stevenson Avenue as a prime location to install a public drinking water fountain.
We identified this location with the help of the City of Enumclaw for the following reasons:
- A mostly city-owned block near a city water line and water meter
- Highly visible on a public street corner near the Enumclaw Chamber of Commerce and Arts Alive! gallery (a high-traffic location that could supply water for public events like parades or street fairs)
Spring to the Tap reached their fundraising goal of $16,000 in 2015. After a public meeting at the library and planning the design with an artist, we planned to submit the project plans to the City Arts Commission which would later recommend the project to the City Council.
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| Designed to be cast in bronze, these were the initial concept sketches presented by Spring to the Tap in 2015. |
Aftering a scale model of the fountain toured around town including an Arts Commission meeting, in January 2017 the Enumclaw City Council officially adopted a resolution, effectively paving the way for the fountain to be built and installed in spring 2017. In their resolution, they wrote the the fountain will be a "longstanding functional and artistic symbol of our well-being and our commitment to the health of our community, its people, and our environment."
The fountain was to be installed the following summer. Unfortunately, the project hit a major setback.
The local bronze sculptor who had agreed to craft this unique fountain faced significant hurdles to deliver on the project. In April 2017, Spring to the Tap parted ways with the bronze design.
After meeting with officials from the City of Enumclaw and the local contractor who had agreed donate time to install the fountain, we shifted plans. Instead of the custom bronze fountain, we would settle for a plain free-standing stainless steel fountain, like those found at airports or public parks, and add a commemorative log and plaques that would connect this project back to its Enumclaw roots.
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| A sketch of the corner of Stevenson and Cole with the proposed steel fountain and commemorative log in place. |
However, the artist setback pushed installation date to summer 2018. Then we ran into another roadblock.
In March 2018, as we made agreements to install the new stainless steel fountain on the corner of Cole Street and Stevenson Avenue, a new project for that city block emerged.
The City began exploring the possibility of turning the parking lot between Cole St, Stevenson Ave, Railroad Ave, and Initial Ave into a commercial, residential, and community space. This block is currently home to a public bathroom, Arts Alive! gallery, the Enumclaw Chamber of Commerce, and public parking. The new development was a fine idea, but it represented a huge project that would put the fountain on hold at least until a developer was chosen.
Read more: Enumclaw moves forward with downtown plaza proposal in the Enumclaw Courier-Herald
In early 2019, we reached a tentative agreement to include the fountain on the street corner as part of a local developer's plan to turn the block into a multi-story mixed use development. After delays, the City chose the plan that included our fountain. Finally, a success!
Yet only a few weeks later
the new plan was ditched due to budget concerns and again the City struggled to decide on a future for that part of downtown.
According to the City, now a small "park" or public space is the plan for the land between the Chamber of Commerce and Stevenson Avenue. But no plans or timeline have been set.
It's no fault of the City for holding off on the drinking fountain project until they knew more about what would happen between Cole/Stevenson/Railroad/Initial. But extreme bureaucratic difficulties have extended the uncertainty of this area indefinitely, frustrating fully-funded efforts to provide downtown Enumclaw with a valuable community asset.
Spring to the Tap is currently searching for alternative locations including willing private partners along Cole St. to find a permanent home for a public drinking water fountain.
Enumclaw's spring-fed public drinking water is so pure it was
once sought after by Nestlé for its bottled water brands. A useful public drinking fountain will showcase our stewardship of our most precious natural resource and our commitment to the well-being of the entire community.
Spring to the Tap is determined to build this fountain as part of its mission to ensure clean, accessible, and sustainable water for all.
If you know a business owner in downtown Enumclaw willing to discuss the potential for collaborating to bring a public drinking fountain to main street—leave us a comment or email us at bottlefreedevotee
gmail.com
