After several years Chicago's water arc is still off, so when will the fountain be back on?
CHICAGO (CBS) -- If you've spent time on the Chicago River or Riverwalk, you likely recognize this: The water arc was seen every hour on the hour.
But it's been years since anyone has seen it running.
Water Reclamation said they're waiting on parts, but after CBS 2 reported in May, the architect who designed it and a family closely connected to it are calling their bluff.
CBS 2's Tara Molina is bringing their concerns back to the department in a story you'll on see Only on 2.
Now, flooded and full of trash, the people with personal connections to this place call this painful to see. And while the signs say temporarily closed, three years isn't temporary. They want to know what's taking so long.
"It should be alive. It should flow," said Centennial Fountain architect Dirk Lohan.
The water was flowing here since 1989 but it came to a halt in 2020. Broken and in need of repair, it's been off ever since.
"It's painful. This sits here now like a ruin."
Painful for Dirk Lohan to see the fountain he designed still like this.
The fountain reflects his love of the city. Chicago architecture is in his blood. Lohan is architect Mies van der Rohe's grandson.
"It's sad to me. Because I think of this as a feature of our city," Lohan said.
But he's not the only one with a personal connection to this Fountain.
"I just really want to see it brought back to life," said Elizabeth Melas, former President Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
The name on the dedication plaque? That's her father, Nicholas Melas.
"I feel like that's where his spirits are. He was very proud of the fountain. It brought him a lot of joy," she said. "Instead of going to the cemetery, I go to the fountain. I bring flowers there."
Nicholas Melas led the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago for years and worked for the department for 30. He passed away 10 years ago.
"I feel like my dad is probably pretty angry right now in heaven. Wondering why his Fountain has been off for so long," said Melas.
She's been pressing the office her dad once led since.
"It felt disrespectful in a way."
You see, like Lohan, Melas is an architect. She worked for Cook County on major projects for years. And neither is buying the water districts claim supply chain issues caused what will ultimately be a five-year delay.
"I can't use the word that I'm thinking, but that's ridiculous," Lohan said.
"In my experience, usually when I project takes this long, it just means it's been shelved for funding. It fell lower on the priority list," Melas said.
CBS 2 brought those concerns directly to the water office. A spokesperson maintains they don't think they can get this fixed until 2025, despite plans for a 35th-anniversary celebration here next year.
"It shows to be a lack of appreciation of what this is. A symbol in Chicago of how Chicago developed."
"The resources haven't been dedicated to it because a project like this, I don't think it should take more than the portion of a year to fix."
"Dedicated manpower should be put on this job. And I think 6 months it would be finished," added Lohan.
Elizabeth Melas was a lifelong Chicago resident and recently moved to Arizona to take care of her mother. When she was visiting Chicago, she checked into a room at the Park Hyatt and...
"I went into my room and there was a photograph of my dad's fountain in my hotel room," Melas said. "My dad was sending me a message. Saying get that fountain back on. That cannot be a coincidence. The one room out of hundreds of rooms in this hotel."
According to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, to maintain service levels during the pandemic, they dedicated all available staff and resources to keeping critical operations running. The fountain has no impact on operations.
Also, the design work has been completed and they're hoping to have it back in service by 2025. The timeframe depends on equipment availability.
What does the repair entail?
Repairs include total replacement of the electrical feed equipment and pumps; waterproofing the structure; masonry repairs such as resetting or replacement of non-level or damaged granite/concrete pavers; replacement of deteriorated caulking or paver joint material; painting of the fountain area and light towers; installation of a new mechanical room door and replacement of the old masonry decorative bollards.
The official response from the agency:
While the world was in the midst of the pandemic in 2020, a record rainfall combined with high lake levels caused catastrophic flooding of the equipment at Centennial Fountain.
To maintain critical services during the pandemic, the MWRD dedicated all available staff and resources to keeping its seven water reclamation plants, outlying pump stations, Tunnel and Reservoir Plan infrastructure, stormwater reservoirs, etc. in full operation to protect the citizens of Cook County.
Once it became apparent that a full replacement of the fountain equipment was necessary, the MWRD retained the services of a design consultant for the fountain rehabilitation. The design is now complete, and we expect construction to begin later this year.
It is anticipated that Centennial Fountain will continue to be out of service for the next 24 months as the facility is fully rehabilitated. Unfortunately, supply chain issues have created very long lead times for the needed equipment.
While this fountain has no impact on actual MWRD operations, we understand that the public receives great enjoyment from it, and we all look forward to seeing it placed back into service.
