Chemicals in Fountain at 13th Street Garden Found Safe

photo by Kate McFadden

The 13th Street Community Park and Garden, between C and D on 13th Street SE, while designed and built for all Hill residents to enjoy, is not quite the amenity some parents would like it to be. In fact, for a few days last week, it wasn’t safe for dogs or young splash-abouts. That’s been remedied with appropriate warning signs and clarity about the chemicals used by DC Housing Authority Parks & Recreation.

On Friday, Richard Lukas, president of the Friends of the 13th Street Park, said the fountain  “appears at this time to not be something you want to splash in either.  We will be obtaining further information from the supplier and determining what is in the water.  We are also exploring the possibility of going chemical free and what the ramifications of that are for the fountain’s operation.”

The park, dreamed up by 13th Street SE residents who organized a non-profit that worked to work with DC Housing Authority to secure federal stimulus funding, opened at the end of May with a ribbon cutting attended by Councilmember Tommy Wells and DCHA Executive Director Adrianne Todman. The garden took two four years to complete, largely because of the need to make the area adjacent to the park’s corner accessible by older residents of Kentucky Courts Gardens, a public housing development for seniors. Installing electricity and water sourcing for the park’s gardens and fountain also delayed the project.

Late last week a conversation on MOTH about the park’s fountain and whether it was or was not intended for children’s play, was complicated by mixed communication from people associated with the park. While it’s clear the fountain is not intended as any sort of water park, unlike the very popular fountains at Yards Park, many say it’s low-to-the ground scale certainly tempts small children. While many, perhaps less acquainted with the lightening bolt speed of toddlers, say ‘why would you assume  this architectural feature is child friendly or appropriate for play,’ given the height and general openness of the water feature, chemicals on the hands of youngsters is a valid concern. It’s certainly not well-protected as the Trevi (Felini’s  muse Anita Ekberg failed to observe its boundaries) or even the algae ridden Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial.

On Tuesday afternoon, the park’s website was updated with information about the chemicals, Protec and Fountec, recently used to treat the fountain. In addition to comparing the water to that in swimming pools, the site made some clarifications about intended use of the fountain, stating it’s not a ‘water park’ or drinking fountain, but remained vague with the comment the fountain is for “casual use.”

The park was designed with the wide breadth of community members and a variety of uses in mind. According to park volunteer Ksenia Kaladiouk there’s also a commitment to host educational programming to space, in addition to community-building events and fundraisers for the park.  Ideas such as a Jazz Night in the park; yoga, Zumba, and art classes; cook-offs and nature walks highlighting the park’s indigenous plant species are being discussed.

The vegetable garden plots have been split up between residents of Kentucky Courts and those living in the two blocks in the immediate vicinity of the park, largely as a gesture of thanks for enduring two years of construction, said garden coordinator Emily Rice. Next year there will be a new lottery with wider boundaries and the plots will be assigned for two years at a time.