Comments on: Fort Worthology goes to Portland, Part Three: Ira Keller Fountain http://fortworthology.com/2009/05/22/fort-worthology-goes-to-portland-part-three-ira-keller-fountain/ Traditional urbanism, smart growth, transit, bicycles, sustainability Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:50:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: April http://fortworthology.com/2009/05/22/fort-worthology-goes-to-portland-part-three-ira-keller-fountain/comment-page-1/#comment-1907 April Tue, 26 May 2009 09:43:37 +0000 http://fortworthology.com/?p=2000#comment-1907 If you are at the fountain on a really hot day, it's *full* of people, both adults and kids, splashing around. And that water is *cold*! If you are at the fountain on a really hot day, it’s *full* of people, both adults and kids, splashing around.

And that water is *cold*!

]]> By: Douglas K http://fortworthology.com/2009/05/22/fort-worthology-goes-to-portland-part-three-ira-keller-fountain/comment-page-1/#comment-1906 Douglas K Mon, 25 May 2009 19:48:12 +0000 http://fortworthology.com/?p=2000#comment-1906 Did you get a chance to see Halprin's other Portland parks, <a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://img.groundspeak.com/waymarking/01887669-68ec-4bf8-a340-bac8f0aa9a6f.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMJJ8&usg=__oOt-ROoshmWlITuhwdNWOS8ZXE0=&h=450&w=600&sz=145&hl=en&start=2&sig2=Y8oFeEOf6j4K9KLFyiI_FQ&um=1&tbnid=Lgb53aE_CuZ9AM:&tbnh=101&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpettygrove%2Bpark%2Bportland%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1&ei=bvIaSorSIajosgO5vv3ZCA" rel="nofollow">Pettygrove Park</a> and <a href="http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Lovejoy_Fountain_Plaza.html" rel="nofollow">Lovejoy Fountain Plaza</a>? They're quiet and normally see only light use, since they're only accessibly by foot. A lot of people miss them. Did you get a chance to see Halprin’s other Portland parks, Pettygrove Park and Lovejoy Fountain Plaza? They’re quiet and normally see only light use, since they’re only accessibly by foot. A lot of people miss them.

]]> By: Dave http://fortworthology.com/2009/05/22/fort-worthology-goes-to-portland-part-three-ira-keller-fountain/comment-page-1/#comment-1905 Dave Fri, 22 May 2009 21:53:12 +0000 http://fortworthology.com/?p=2000#comment-1905 I can definitely see the similarities in design, and in my opinion, it's sad to let any open, public spaces in a city get to the point where they are simply shut down. I think these spaces should be a priority to a city, counted as an asset, and taken care of. Re-thinking them, re-designing them, ok - but just closing them to the public? Not so much. I can definitely see the similarities in design, and in my opinion, it’s sad to let any open, public spaces in a city get to the point where they are simply shut down. I think these spaces should be a priority to a city, counted as an asset, and taken care of. Re-thinking them, re-designing them, ok – but just closing them to the public? Not so much.

]]> By: Kevin Buchanan http://fortworthology.com/2009/05/22/fort-worthology-goes-to-portland-part-three-ira-keller-fountain/comment-page-1/#comment-1904 Kevin Buchanan Fri, 22 May 2009 21:26:39 +0000 http://fortworthology.com/?p=2000#comment-1904 Thanks for the comments, Dave! If you're curious about Fort Worth's own Halprin park which was referenced in the post, here's an earlier post that featured our last look inside the barricaded, dried-up Heritage Park before the fences were more secured: <a href="http://fortworthology.com/2008/07/16/heritage-park-insulted-and-humiliated/" rel="nofollow"><u>http://fortworthology.com/2008/07/16/heritage-park-insulted-and-humiliated/</u></a> Thanks for the comments, Dave!

If you’re curious about Fort Worth’s own Halprin park which was referenced in the post, here’s an earlier post that featured our last look inside the barricaded, dried-up Heritage Park before the fences were more secured:

http://fortworthology.com/2008/07/16/heritage-park-insulted-and-humiliated/

]]> By: Dave http://fortworthology.com/2009/05/22/fort-worthology-goes-to-portland-part-three-ira-keller-fountain/comment-page-1/#comment-1903 Dave Fri, 22 May 2009 21:15:11 +0000 http://fortworthology.com/?p=2000#comment-1903 This was always one of my favorite places in Portland, even as a kid living in the suburbs, I remember coming here and loving it. It used to be called the Forecourt Fountain (as it is the forecourt to the neighboring Keller Auditorium - then the Civic Auditorium). I think it's a great design, and it continues to be one of the most well-used public spaces in Portland, especially in the summer when people love hanging out and dipping their toes in, splashing around, etc. I've never felt unsafe there, or most other places in the city, for that matter. I think our country's obsession with "safety" is starting to make it feel a bit like a minefield, rather than places where people are supposed to live. And I don't think it really has much to do with safety at all, but rather with liability and manipulation. But, that's a whole other topic, which I feel rather strongly about :) Thanks for posting about this, it's a great space. This was always one of my favorite places in Portland, even as a kid living in the suburbs, I remember coming here and loving it. It used to be called the Forecourt Fountain (as it is the forecourt to the neighboring Keller Auditorium – then the Civic Auditorium). I think it’s a great design, and it continues to be one of the most well-used public spaces in Portland, especially in the summer when people love hanging out and dipping their toes in, splashing around, etc. I’ve never felt unsafe there, or most other places in the city, for that matter.

I think our country’s obsession with “safety” is starting to make it feel a bit like a minefield, rather than places where people are supposed to live. And I don’t think it really has much to do with safety at all, but rather with liability and manipulation. But, that’s a whole other topic, which I feel rather strongly about :)

Thanks for posting about this, it’s a great space.

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