Repairs to the Salmon Run Bell Tower and the pump for the water feature are being made this summer
Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com
While the City of Vancouver made an announcement a while back regarding the water feature at Esther Short Park, the news did not reach everyone during the heatwave.
On Saturday, just like every other day this summer, there was no water running through the steps and rocks on the southwest side of the park in downtown Vancouver.
And on Saturday, people at the park were heated.
A few wondered why. One said he heard a rumor it was not coming back, because there is a new water feature at the nearby Waterfront Park. Another resident said that is too bad, because the feature at Esther Short Park is for everyone while the one at Waterfront Park is just for the “one-percenters.”
Not true. And not true.
Yes, there is the popular, new Columbia River Water Feature at Vancouver Waterfront Park, which is a walk of less than a mile from Esther Short Park. But that is not the reason the one at Esther Short Park is currently not operational. And the Columbia River Water Feature is open to the public, for everyone.
The official high temperature on Saturday was 99 degrees. It hit 99 again on Sunday. The forecast calls for triple digits on Monday and Tuesday. So yes, the water feature at Esther Short Park would have been a popular spot and a nice complement to the new feature on the waterfront.
However, the water feature at Esther Short is being repaired, along with the restoration and repair of the landmark feature in downtown, the Salmon Run Bell Tower and Glockenspiel.
The tower and surrounding area has experienced normal wear and tear from the elements, as well as maintenance issues caused by chlorine from the water feature interacting with the original building materials, according to the city’s news release on its website. The tower was built in 2002.
Work to repair the tower is expected to begin this month and be completed by early 2025.
Among the project’s goals are to:
- Repair the tower’s brick structure.
- Repair the clock and the 35-bell glockenspiel.
- Restore the original rotating diorama and audio recording, featuring a Chinook tribal legend of the Chinook Salmon.
- Restore Jim Demetro’s Spiraling Salmon bronze art piece.
- Repair and upgrade the pump house and mechanics that run the Esther Short Park water feature.
While the city’s news release did not say for certain that the water feature would be back in 2025, the water pump is being repaired, leading one to believe the city expects the water feature to return.
In the meantime, hundreds of people were seen enjoying the new water feature at the waterfront park over the weekend.
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