I have a pleasant memory of my parents taking my siblings and me (in our pajamas) down to Lakeview Park to see the lights. There were lots of oohs and ahs as we watched the colors change.
The city must have been aware that taking their kids down to the park to see the fountain was a popular thing for parents to do. To accommodate them, the decision was made to turn on the lights a half-hour earlier. As noted in the Journal's "Around City Hall" column (shown above) of June 6, 1963, "Lorain's Lakeview Park fountain has begun spraying the many formations and colors of water a little earlier each evening.
"While in the past it was turned on at 9 p.m. each day, Park Supt. Rodney Hale said the starting time effective Tuesday now is 8:30 p.m.
"Reason for the switch is so children can have a chance to see the attraction.
"The fountain, which continues to be a main focal point of interest in Lorain was built in 1932."
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| A 1951 postcard |
It's kind of nice that the city was trying to do something for the kids, although it was summer, and kids do stay up later. Plus, it probably wasn't dark enough to truly enjoy it.
The article does have one error. The fountain was not unveiled until Memorial Day, May 30, 1936. (I devoted a post to it back here.)
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The same article mentioned a deteriorating fire engine on display at Oakwood Park, and the proposed removal of it. I guess that's why I never heard of it before.
Cascade Park had one too (which I wrote about here and here).
The fountain was always one of my favorite places to visit in Lorain, one that I miss seeing now.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think the engine was deteriorated that early. I remember it when it was fresh. There were stairs that let people walk through the cab. But it wasn't long before all the glass was broken out of the gauges. Then the city removed the walk through and just fenced it off where it slowly began rusting without the daily care of the train crew. It has been removed to a railroad museum, maybe Dennis Lamont will tell us where it is.
ReplyDeleteGuess I would have been 3 or 4 years old when Dad would pack us up to see the fountain. Never knew what time it would be turned on. As a kid you learned time by when the street lights came on and you had to go home. I was really dumb and couldn't figure out how the water would change color and when it would get on you it was clear. Just thought the lights were lights. Back then they didn't have a timer for the fountain. Dad knew a few guys that worked for the park department. He would be talking to them and then the guy would say he had to go. The lights went off and the fountain stopped. Everyone would leave before the bugs would come out.
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