Forlorn fountain in Pound Ridge to be repurposed as a planter

The nonworking fountain in front of 73 Westchester Ave. in Scotts Corners. THANE GRAUEL PHOTO

By THANE GRAUEL

A murky, disused fountain along the northern sidewalk on Westchester Avenue might soon have a more colorful future as a planter.

The Town Board on Tuesday approved a plan by the Pound Ridge Partnership to remove the unworking water fountain’s guts and tower from the large round base and repurpose it as a planter.

James Best of the Pound Ridge Partnership pitched the plan to the board. He said the fountain was put in by a business association many years ago and that the plumbing has been inoperable for some time.

“It’s been defunct for many years, and hard to maintain, actually, when it was running.”

“We don’t think it’s economically feasible to renovate this but it does have good bones,” he said. “The base is stone, and it’s got a beautiful, thick bluestone cap to it.”

He said the plan is to take out the center, fill it with gravel and soil to prepare it for plantings. Growing Pound Ridge, which has worked on plantings around town, would be involved, he said. Perennials and annuals would be used.

“We don’t want anything growing up too high, because there are two benches there, and the communication between people that are sitting at the benches would be great.”

There was a question about who would fund the project and if the town needed to put it out to bid. Best said the partnership would plant it, and continue to maintain the plantings.

“I think it sounds great,” Town Board member Dan Paschkes said.

“Is the Planning Board involved in this?” Town Supervisor Kevin Hansan asked.

“They don’t have to be,” Town Attorney William Harrington said. “You could make them involved, but the question is why?”

“You’re not changing the footprint,” Paschkes said.

“I don’t want to piss off somebody,” Hansan said. “I do that enough naturally.”

“I can understand if there’s functionality involved, but this is so minimal,” member Dianne Briggs said.

“We’re just putting plants in a non-functioning fountain,” Paschkes said. “Let’s not make a bigger deal out of it than we need to.”

The board then voted unanimously to approve the plan.