COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – With summer approaching, a downtown Columbus summertime staple is getting closer to reopening after more than a year of construction.
The Scioto Mile Fountain has been closed for construction since spring 2023. The popular spot for families to gather to cool off has been surrounded by fences as the work has been going on.
“This whole thing's been around here so you walk by and see the pictures and see them working but it was weird not having all the kids and the families," Tracy Heselden said.
Heselden lives nearby and said the amount of work going on at the fountain has picked up in recent weeks.
“It seems like they’ve been working over here on the weekend too, they’re here all the time," she said.
The cost of the renovation is $15 million. Half of the funding is from the city, the other half is from Downtown Columbus Inc., the urban planning firm formerly known as the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation.
Once complete, the fountain will have a new operating system, lights and water synced to music, more seating and shaded space, and a winter light show, according to Downtown Columbus Inc.'s website.
“I think it's really good for the community because a lot of families would bring their kids down here and it was a splash area for little kids to run around in and it was nice for them to come for something that didn't cost anything," said Heselden.
Back when construction started, the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department said it hoped the fountain would reopen for summer 2024. Columbus Downtown Inc.'s website said the fountain is set to reopen in late May 2024. NBC4 checked with the nonprofit and was told that is still the time frame.
"I’ve seen them pretty much doing construction every day on it. I'm out and about every day around here. Super nice area so I'm excited to see what it does," said Logan Burns, another resident who lives near the fountain.
Other neighbors said they have recently seen the fountains being tested.
