Fountains ready
to flow for spring
BY ELAINE VAN DEVELDE
Staff Writer
EDISON — A sure sign that spring has sprung is the flow of the township’s fountains.
Any day now, the four fountains will be turned on as a part of Mayor George Spadoro’s initiative to keep the township rich in "artistic and architectural amenities."
The fountains are about 10 years old, as old as Spadoro’s tenure as mayor. The idea to beautify the township with them was a somewhat controversial concept hatched by Spadoro. He liked the idea that they added a unique improvement flair for the public to enjoy.
"There’s always a cynic," he said. "But the fountains have become very popular. We had nothing like this when I first became mayor. I think they are a great addition — a signature for the town that we can be proud of."
There are two fountains in the Clara Barton section of town, one on Roosevelt Boulevard and another on Victory Place. Another fountain is on New Durham Road, off Route 27, and a fourth is on Fitch Road.
The main motivation for erecting the four, though, was a fifth somewhat famous fountain in Roosevelt Park.
"This was the only fountain," Spadoro said. "It was created by a [well-known] person many years ago, but over time it became dilapidated and nonfunctioning."
The particular fountain that motivated the mayor’s goal to fill the town with a constant trickle of water during spring and summertime has become the focal point of his pet fountains project.
"I have lobbied the Middlesex County Board of Freeholders and tried to get financial help to bring this fountain back to life," Spadoro said. "I think it’s safe to say it will finally be turned on sometime during the summer so people can enjoy it."
Though Spadoro said the fountains are less wishing wells than they are a functional artistic addition, they should be ready to spout water by May 1. "We wait until we’re certain the last freeze has passed," he said. "In a town as big and dense as Edison, people really should have something different and nice to look at. The fountains are not only pretty, they are soothing with the sound of the flowing water. I stand by them, no matter what any cynics have said. It’s just another step toward quality-of-life improvement."