City hopes fixing fountain will help locals rediscover Mayors’ Discovery Park
City commissioners recently committed to repairing and restoring the fountain at Mayors’ Discovery Park — decommissioned in 2015 during a statewide drought and never turned back on — after discovering the nuanced and rich story behind the structure.
The La Cañada Flintridge Parks and Recreation Commission was asked in September to decide the fate of the defunct fountain by city staff, who suggested it might be turned into a drought-tolerant planter or demolished and replaced with something else.
Commissioners leaned toward restoring the water feature, a popular attraction for young families with children, and asked the city to review price estimates for the different options. They heard an update during a March 11 meeting.
Management intern Robert Baumann explained fixing the structure would cost at least $6,000, possibly more once the pipework was inspected. A fountain full of water could present a liability unless monitored or placed on a timer.
Another option would be to tear out the fountain and install pickleball courts — a request made by senior enthusiasts of the recreational sport who cannot find a permanent home in town. The cost for that work would run upwards of $50,000.
La Cañada landscape architect Ronnie Siegel explained to commissioners that when she designed Mayors’ Discovery Park in 2005 for the site of a former Caltrans park-and-ride lot, she installed features that would engage children’s sense of wonder.
“When the city acquired this property, the idea was how could you turn this horrible eyesore into something the community could love?” Siegel recalled. “I put my heart into designing this space.”
Siegel produced a guidebook explaining the ins and outs of the transportation-themed area, which includes a model of the Foothill (210) Freeway hidden at the bottom of a sandpit on which children could drive toy cars.
“If children dig in the sand, they can find the model — that was the intention of the sandpit,” she said. “But all that history seems to have gotten lost.”
The fountain was built so that children could watch floating objects drift and dodge built-in ceramic features, created by students of the Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge’s ceramics program.
Reimagining the structure as a planter for native species wouldn’t make the best sense, Siegel said, as natives grow best in open spaces. Additionally, the parking lot was originally landscaped as a native garden but has since been intruded upon by invasive plants.
Siegel volunteered to work with local organizations or Scouts seeking service projects to restore different areas of the park. Staffer Arabo Parseghian said creating and installing informational signs for visitors could be added to the city’s list of potential Eagle Scout or Gold Award projects.
Commissioners thanked the designer, wondering at the hidden gems at Mayors’ Discovery Park that have been forgotten but might one day be rediscovered by the local community.
Commission Vice Chair Jack Kozakar suggested Siegel’s guide to the park be posted online for the visiting public, and the city take steps to reinvigorate the parking lot garden.
Chair Jim Kambe agreed.
“Making people aware the guide was posted on the city’s website could be an interesting alternative for people who go to this park,” he said, addressing Siegel. “I really appreciate you filling in the details.”
