Dear PoPville – Should the Columbia Heights Fountain be Protected?

fountain in Silver Spring

“Dear PoP,

Though I had issues with the Columbia Heights fountain in the beginning (because A. it’s a barren lot all winter long and B. I feel like a DC artist should have designed it), it’s nice to see people enjoying a frozen yogurt on the wall while children play in the water on a nice sunny day (just hope the water is sufficiently chlorinated). Now I don’t want to sound like a grumpy old man but my concern is with the team of teenagers that are forever skateboarding on it. Those are, in fact, porcelain tiles, and underneath those grates are the fountain heads. Once the tiles or fountain heads break and once the stone walls are chipped I can’t imagine the city replacing them any time soon. Here is a photo of the very similar fountain in Silver Spring- only difference it has this small chain fence going around it. Granted a skateboarder could easily move something like that, but combined with those metal bumpers on the steps maybe it could deter them? At least while the fountain is off.”

Do you guys think when the fountain is turned off that it needs to be protected like the one above?