Friendship Fountain facts for kids
Friendship Fountain is a very large fountain located in Jacksonville, Florida. You can find it in St. Johns River Park, also known as Friendship Fountain Park. This park is at the west end of Downtown Jacksonville's Southbank Riverwalk. When it first opened, it was the largest and tallest fountain in the world! Because of this, it has become one of Jacksonville's most famous and loved attractions.
A Jacksonville architect named Taylor Hardwick designed the fountain and park in 1963. It officially opened in 1965. The fountain had three powerful pumps that could shoot 17,000 US gallons (64,000 L) of water every minute. The water could reach heights of up to 100 feet (30 m)! Friendship Fountain was a key attraction in Jacksonville for many years. However, over time, its equipment started to wear out and rust. This caused the fountain to close sometimes in the 2000s. In 2011, the city spent $3.2 million to fix up the fountain and the park around it.
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History of the Fountain
The famous architect Taylor Hardwick designed Friendship Fountain and its park. He also designed the Haydon Burns Library in Jacksonville. A group called the Southside Business Men's Club donated 14 acres (57,000 m2) of land for the project. This club was formed in 1932 to help improve the Southside area of Jacksonville.
Work on the park began in 1963 and cost $1.7 million to complete. The park opened its doors in March 1965. At that time, it was known as the "world’s largest and tallest" fountain. It quickly became a very popular place for tourists to visit.
The fountain's three pumps were very strong, with a combined 750 horsepower (560 kW). They could push 17,000 US gallons (64,000 L) of water per minute. Some of the water streams were as tall as a 10-story building! The building that held the pumps and controls was so big that the architect made it part of the park's design.
The fountain was first called the "Fountain of Friendship in Dallas Thomas Park." A member of the Rotary Club suggested the name friendship. The Dallas Thomas part came from the city's parks and finance commissioner at the time. However, in 1968, the park's name was changed.
Changes to the Park
In 1990, the Acosta Bridge was rebuilt. A restaurant called Diamond Head Lobster House was in the way and had to be torn down. The city decided to use a large part of Friendship Park for a new restaurant and its parking lot. This made the park much smaller, cutting it by more than half.
Most of the original design parts of the park, except for the fountain itself, were removed. A new restaurant called Harbormasters was built. This restaurant had some problems and eventually closed in 1992.
Later, in November 1993, the River City Brewing Company took over the spot. This restaurant has been successful. In October 2020, the company that owned River City Brewing Company suggested a plan to build an 8-story apartment building with 325 apartments where the restaurant is now. This plan also included making the Jacksonville Riverwalks longer and adding public access to the river.
Long History of Use
Friendship Fountain worked well for over 20 years. It was fixed up in December 1985 and kept running for another 15 years. But by the end of the century, the equipment was very worn out and rusty, forcing the fountain to close.
A big repair project started in March 2001. It lasted five months and cost $1.3 million. During this time, a new feature was added: six light towers with computer-controlled lights that could change colors. Unexpected damage to the pipes was found, which added to the cost and delayed the reopening. The fountain finally reopened in December 2001.
It worked for seven months until a power outage in April 2002 damaged the computer controller and blew out many lights. After repairs, the fountain worked perfectly for almost three years. It was a major attraction during Super Bowl XXXIX in February 2005. However, two months later, two of the original pumps, which were 40 years old, broke down. Replacement parts were no longer available. Replacing the pumps was estimated to cost $400,000, but the city did not have enough money. After this, the fountain ran on only one pump, which meant much less water flow. It was fully repaired in 2011 and is now working.
Fountain Features
- The fountain's main pool is 200 feet (61 m) wide. It holds 500,000 US gallons (1,900,000 L) of water. This water is cleaned just like water in a swimming pool.
- The fountain has three rings of water sprays.
- The outer ring has 36 nozzles. These nozzles are evenly spaced around the edge. They shoot water inward at an angle, rising 35 feet (11 m) high. A 250 horsepower (190 kW) motor powers this ring, pumping 6,750 GPM (gallons per minute).
- The middle ring is 120 feet (37 m) wide. It has 18 nozzles that shoot water straight up. These streams reach a height of 40 feet (12 m). A 150 horsepower (110 kW) motor powers this ring, pumping 4,500 GPM.
- The center ring is 15 feet (4.6 m) wide. It has nine nozzles that also shoot water straight up. These streams can go as high as 120 feet (37 m). A 350 horsepower (260 kW) motor powers this ring, pumping 5,500 GPM.
- The fountain has a special tool called an anemometer. This tool measures wind speed and controls how high the center nozzles spray. If the wind is between 5 and 15 miles (24 km) per hour, the center nozzles will not spray higher than 70 feet (21 m). If the wind is stronger than 15 miles (24 km) per hour, the height is limited to 50 feet (15 m). This helps stop water from blowing out of the fountain and getting people wet in the park.
- Each nozzle has a group of four lights: dark red, light red, turquoise, and amber.
Current Status
For several years, people wondered what would happen to this important Jacksonville landmark. There were different ideas, like moving Kids Kampus from Metropolitan Park and getting rid of the fountain, building a smaller fountain, or fixing the one that was already there. By May 2008, the city had $15 million in its budget to improve the Southbank Riverwalk, which includes the area around Friendship Fountain. However, Mayor John Peyton felt this amount was not enough.
On February 9, 2010, the Jacksonville City Council approved the final plans for a $3.2 million project. This project would renovate and repair Friendship Fountain and the park around it. On August 10, 2010, The Friends of Friendship Fountain Website reported that AC General Inc was chosen as the contractor for the project. A special ceremony was held on September 1, 2010, to mark the start of the renovation. The fountain was closed for eight months for construction. It reopened on June 18, 2011, with a big celebration.
Another major renovation for the fountain is planned for 2020–2021.
