Lewes aims to save Zwaanendael Park fountain

The City of Lewes is launching an effort to save the fountain in Zwaanendael Park, reconsidering an earlier decision to remove it because it is broken.

The circular reservoir is the centerpiece of the park and the only fountain in Lewes. A plaque says the fountain was manufactured by Aqua Master and donated by Morton Electric, in memory of Jack and Dorothy Morton.

It has been in the park for at least 35 years.

At the June 16 parks and recreation commission meeting, Mayor Amy Marasco said she heard from too many people who want to see the beloved fountain stay.

“We are setting up a small working group to find the root cause. Is it the piping? Is it the pump? What about the bricks?” Marasco said. 

She said the goal is to either repair or replace it. 

Marasco said Councilman Joe Elder will lead the working group because of his background with materials and equipment.

She did caution that saving the fountain could be expensive and might include a fundraising campaign. Lewes City Manager Ellen Lorraine McCabe said there is no money in the current budget for the fountain.

The city initially made the decision to remove the fountain in April.

Earlier at the June 16 meeting, Zwaanendael Park Commissioner Ray Fratella read from an email he received from the city April 30.

“The city has decided, because of numerous repairs to the pump, the fountain leaking all the time, bricks need to be replaced, to decommission the fountain,” Fratella said.

He said the email stated that the city would possibly plant grass and install artwork in that location instead.

Fratella said that, while he disagreed with the decision to remove the fountain, he was working on a plan to keep that area as the centerpiece of the park.

“I get where the city is coming from. They said we’ve put too many band-aids on this, should we put another band-aid on it? My impression is yes, put another band-aid on it, and I’ll help do that,” Fratella said after the meeting.