A fountain of water, worries

The city will soon take possession of a scenic upgrade that could cost $5,000 a month.

By KEVIN GRAHAM, Times Staff Writer
Published August 5, 2007

The Tampa Water Department estimates it will cost the city between $3,000 and $5,000 a month to maintain the new water pond and fountains between 21st and 22nd streets, at the Interstate 4 Ybor City exit. The Florida Department of Transportation made a deal with the city when I-4 construction plans were being made to pay for the $1.3-million water feature. Once construction is complete, ownership and maintenace will be turned over to the city.

[Zach Boyden-Holmes | Times]

TAMPA - State transportation officials will soon put the final touches on a $1.3-million water fountain and pond that the city of Tampa agreed to take several years ago.

The problem: City officials are no longer sure they can afford its upkeep, and watering restrictions may prohibit its operation.

Plans made years ago for expanding Interstate 4 called for the state Department of Transportation to foot the $1.3.-million bill to install the fountain, then turn over ownership and maintenance to the city.

The cost for upkeep could range between $3,000 and $5,000 a month, or as much as $60,000 a year, according to recent Tampa Water Department estimates.

In these days of layoffs and budget cuts, that may be more than city officials want to spend.

"Things have changed since the original idea was born back then," said Elias Franco, consumer affairs manager for the Tampa Water Department. "Our challenge now, in the face of all the issues that exist in 2007, is to make a responsible decision on what we will do with this asset."

Transportation Department officials awarded the contract to build the fountain between 21st and 22nd streets in Ybor City four years ago. State transportation spokesman John McShaffrey said the agency plans to complete finishing touches on it "within the next couple weeks."

Once the city takes control of the property, Franco said, it will discuss what to do with it.

Reclaimed water doesn't flow to that part of town. Because of the drought, a city ordinance bars running water fountains that don't use reclaimed water.

"We'll have to make the decision on what we do in face of the current water restriction ordinance and where and how that fountain could be operated," Franco said. "We're not going to do anything that's outside of our own ordinance."

A fountain and pond wasn't the only proposal floated for filling a football field-sized gap created between 21st and 22nd streets with the widening of I-4.

Planners talked about using it for additional parking in Ybor. That got vetoed because of concern for pedestrian safety in an area often congested with cars. Designers also decided against filling in the space with plants, McShaffrey said. They likely wouldn't have lasted with the mix of sunlight and shade cast by the interstate overpass.

"The city liked the idea of a water feature there," McShaffrey said. "We found out that was doable."

In hindsight, regrets

City Council member John Dingfelder now wonders if it should have ever been done.

"It's unfortunate that the things were built to start with," Dingfelder said. "In hindsight, it seems like a big waste of money."

He pointed to an elaborate fountain at the Tampa Convention Center that drained the city of money and ultimately got taken down.

Tampa Palms developer Ken Good donated a six-ton steel, fire and water fountain to Tampa in 1991 to go outside the Convention Center. Created by world-famous artist Yaacov Agam, it was called Shamayim.

City officials estimated they spent nearly $250,000 to maintain it. Instead of dishing out another $55,000 when it needed a paint job, the City Council voted in 2000 to send it back to Good.

"It was a maintenance nightmare," Dingfelder said.

McShaffrey said the Ybor fountain pond was designed to be maintained much like a city-owned swimming pool. The water is chlorinated, he said. The pond is 261 feet long by 110 feet wide, 18 inches deep and contains 320,000 gallons of water. Eight fountains are tiered to give a waterfall effect and are set to run continuously, illuminated by lights at night.

Decorative fencing rises 8 feet high with a locked gate to keep the public out.

In the past, Dingfelder has been critical of state Transportation Department projects that leave the city with hefty maintenance bills. While he applauds department officials for their beautification efforts, it can sometimes create a burden.

"Right now, it's a tough thing to swallow," Dingfelder said.

Times researcher John Martin contributed to this story. Kevin Graham can be reached at 813 226-3433 or kgraham@sptimes.com.

[Last modified August 4, 2007, 23:53:12]