The Palmer Fountain.

[Galexc]

I have been amazed by the Merrill Fountain for quite a while now. Personally, as a resident & condo owner at one of the only two condominium developments that sit directly across from the park, on Covington Drive. I would not only like to see the fountain restored, but the park itself to be brought back to life. I can see manicured grounds with expanded bike & walking paths, well maintained baseball, basketball & tennis courts, the Log Cabin reopened as a local historical museum or shop to bring in revenue for upkeep.....with the fountain anchoring it all! I can dream to, but I know it takes alot more than that....and I'm willing to help any organized effort

[Retroit]

What's stopping you? There are probably a lot of people that feel the way that you do and they are all waiting for someone else to take the initiative . Something as simple as picking up litter and pulling out weeds goes a long way.

[gnome]

GalexC, As a resident of the area, it would be appropriate to take the lead in a fall clean-up. If you can wrangle a few of your neighbors, I'm sure you'll find several volunteers from this site.

You can sign me up. If you have never organized such a thing, PM me, it ain't that complicated.

[DetroitZack]

Wow, this fountain makes me sad. If anyone organizes a group to clean it up or to help restore it then let me know ASAP. I just may have to be the one to start it.

[szla]

Galexc, You've seen how many people showed up to clean up the MCS. That process is almost like Don Quixotish. This is doable. This is one of those jewels that everybody who has seen the old photos of the opera house yearns with a sad heart to see restored. Your neighborhood is still stunningly pretty and capable of being fabulous. It might just be catalyst to rebecome the "Paris of the Midwest". I'll follow this thread and hope a day is set for the first cleanup. I'll be there.

[Lorax]

Perhaps contacting Chezcore, the firm that restored the marble base of the Spirit of Detroit, and the Hurlbut gate and getting an estimate for cleaning and replicating the missing/broken portion of the railing.

Some of these firms give free estimates- then present it to the Parks Dept., and see if politically something can be done here.

[Galexc]

To anyone who may want to join us my neighbor and I are going over to the fountain tomorrow [[Sunday) at 1:00. We're gonna do what we can and all are welcome. Thanks.

[GRALR]

The city might want plans, permits, environmental study, and then will raise the neighbors taxes. Good luck and be careful!

[vetalalumni]

Please take before and after photographs. We readers have now become involved

[szla]

I'm glad to report that the first clean up of the Merrill Fountain went well. About a half dozen people worked at the event. Another half dozen just came by to see if anybody would show up. They will be back next week ready to work. Refreshments were provided by Galexc. Another couple dozen locals just stopped by to see what was going on. I believe some will be back. There was a sense of enthusiasm and a subtle joy that one of our real "jewels" can be brought back. The Ad Hoc committee to save Merrill Fountain will have it's next social event Sunday 9-13-09 at 1pm. All are welcome.

[vetalalumni]

I'm glad to report that the first clean up of the Merrill Fountain went well. About a half dozen people worked at the event. Another half dozen just came by to see if anybody would show up. They will be back next week ready to work. Refreshments were provided by Galexc. Another couple dozen locals just stopped by to see what was going on. I believe some will be back. There was a sense of enthusiasm and a subtle joy that one of our real "jewels" can be brought back. The Ad Hoc committee to save Merrill Fountain will have it's next social event Sunday 9-13-09 at 1pm. All are welcome.

Very cool. Community activism in manifestation. Be sure to document in some manner. We are with you

[szla]

Does anybody have any older or know where there are older photos of the Merrill fountain? The few pictures in front of the old opera house are so distant. Other than the kids playing in the fountain I've not seen many other than the few stock photos.

[Lowell]

Here it is from last May, not as overgrown as the weed-covered picture above from 2002 that was, ahem , not credited.
Attachment 3002

Click Here for a big view.

[vetalalumni]

Thanks for the quality photograph. What does the Palmer Fountain look like today [[from that angle)?

[EastsideAl]

Here it is from last May, not as overgrown as the weed-covered picture above from 2002 that Eastside Al, ahem , failed to credit.
Attachment 3002

Click Here for a big view.

Lowell, sorry about that. It was all in same site, so I figured most people here would have seen it anyway and didn't think that a special credit was necessary. But, yeah, OK, folks that picture [[the weedy-looking one, not the one with the horse in it) was one of Lowell's.

[szla]

Does anyone know who the Palmer Park Conservancy Society is? Or where they can be contacted.

[szla]

I'm kinda nervous about this Sunday's second cleanup day. One of the people at the cleanup was to have hit most of the weeds with roundup and by tomorrow I hope they will be much easier to pull up. Checked on whether any of the groups that appear to be associated with the park are still active and came up with nothing. Talked to someone from Chezcore and will be meeting with him to get a decent idea on what the costs could be for a rehabbed fountain and associated near area. Wonder how many people will show. Another of the cleanup people hopefully will be taking photos as things progress and as they are. Some of the detail is really beautiful. Other parts of the fountain have lost their luster. A couple of the animals have lost their heads and other body parts. A small section of the back wall is gone. Hopefully it has fallen and is being stored in some city building like the lion heads from the Lee Plaza. If you are coming please bring gloves, I dont think Galexc has an unlimited amount of them. Scrapers that hold razor blades seem to work real well. Sunday 9-13, 1 pm.

[cman710]

szla, good luck tomorrow. If I did not live hundreds of miles away, I would come and help you out. Good luck with making some progress and know that slow and steady will win the race, as the saying goes. It is great that you guys are trying to do something, and if you stick to it, you will definitely succeed.

[BasementBeat]

Glad to see people are coming out! Maybe I can stop by one of those weekends. Is Sundays at 1pm going to be a consistent date?

[vetalalumni]

The Palmer Park Green Art Fair organization has a flier with the Palmer Fountain displayed. Are the folks from the Palmer Park Green Art Fair organization involved in clean-up or restoration efforts? Their site --> www.GreenArtFair.org

Looks like they are a NFP. You never know, they might be interested in involvement or assisting, or even funding

Cross reference with a DYes thread from June ---> Palmer Park Green Art Fair Sunday June 28

[szla]

Second clean up day went well. Not everyone showed who said they would but enough to make a serious dent in the preliminary clean up. Next Sunday 9-20 at 1 pm hopefully will wrap up the stage one rehad-make it presentable. Pictures of its present state will show up when I figure how to put them on. To Garrit and Clint the back of the fountain is a horse trough. Remember- built before cars.

[Galexc]

Wow...a horse trough huh? I would have never guessed that. Thanks for the update. I will try and post some of my shots as well. I look forward to next week, where hopefully we will have a few more hands to finish phase 1.

[6nois]

I hope to be able to make it for next Sunday. Have you considered creating a facebook group to keep up with and inform volunteers?

[szla]

Horse trough and gargoyle I hope.

[szla]

Until I find a way to reduce 1.8-2.3 mgb photos to 97 kb or less photos the pics I took today to show anyone who cares the state of the fountain, the intracacies of the carvings, the drinking fountains for humans and horses and the destruction by the humans over the last century and how it looks toward the end of the first phase of the rehab will have to wait.