When Windsor city councillors sit down Monday night, one item on the agenda could decide the future of the city's famed Peace Fountain.
Earlier this spring, a contractor discovered significant damage to the pumps and the parts needed had to be shipped in from a company in Germany.
The Electrical Safety Authority also inspected it and found wear on the electrical wiring. A temporary repair allowed it to sign off on its use during the 2019 season, on the condition, a more permanent fix would be found for next year.
Windsor's Peace Fountain. (Photo courtesy of the City of Windsor)
As a result, instead of turning the fountain in Reaume Park on in time for the Victoria Day Weekend in May, operation was delayed until late June.
The Peace Fountain has been in operation since 1978, and while considered state-of-the-art at the time, it has since suffered significant wear and tear. Maintenance costs over the past few years have ranged between $35,000 and $45,000 a year, on top of the annual operating expenses of $70,000.
A report by the administration outlines three options for councillors to consider, including repairing the fountain on an "as needed" basis.
That option will not be cheap. Becoming an Electrical Safety Authority compliant will cost $50,000. Replacing and upgrading the lighting system will cost $125,000. Replacing the pumps will cost $55,000. The singer valves will cost another $80,000, and then there is the expense of repairing concrete, building a temporary structure, replacing the main power cord and the stainless steel raft.
The total funding required is estimated at $475,000, and the report said the option comes with significant risks. The pumps could fail again, and there is no guarantee the company in Germany will continue to make or repair the pumps in the future.
A complete refurbishment could cost more than three times as much. The report estimated that expense at approximately $1.5 million. With that option comes the risk the fountain will not be installed for the 2020 season.
The administration's third option is to hire a consultant and possibly redesign the fountain.
That could cost $178,000 or $653,000 depending on whether councillors decide to fix the fountain for the 2020 season or not.
The Peace Fountain is believed to be the only floating fountain in the world located in an international waterway, is a tourist attraction, and a defining feature of one of the city's most popular parks.