Lexington: Home of Keeping Up Appearances

As someone who plays in the Fountains, this is bullshit:

Some Feel Playing in Fountains is Eyesore
Tuesday, 29 July 2008 11:53

On a hot summers day many people are trying to find a way to cool off, even if it means making a splash in something meant to beautify Lexington.

But that has some people heated up.

Besides the hidden dangers, many who work and live downtown say there getting tired of seeing people playing in many of the fountains.

Thomas Johnson says he's lived downtown for most of his life and he thinks the form of recreation is an eyesore.

"It's just not the type of thing it was made for,” he says. “Yes, it's an eyesore, because the fountains were put there to beatify our community."

Peter Armato, the owner of Giacomo's, agrees.

“That's my biggest concern. It's fun for the kids and fun to watch them get excited, however if you are new in town and we have a lot of tourist that come here and you can see them just scratch their heads and wonder why the city fountains are used for recreation."

If you swim in any of the fountains you are not breaking any laws.

But Jerry Hancock, with the Department of Parks and Recreation, says there are some hidden dangers like the possible of broken glass of the amount of chlorine in the water.

Other unseen dangers are diseases, like e-Coli.

They can be spread through recreational water and cause diarrhea, skin, ear and eye infections and wound infections.