meme Pt. II

[Laurian]

I think I need to clarify something. The meme I threw out is not
intended to be a formal name or proper noun. Community Watering
Station is a conscious attempt to shape the debate over the design
process and eventual form and function of the Jefferson Street Well
(JSW).

I think the fundamental problem we all have struggled with for decades
is the function of the Jefferson Street well falls outside of accustom
ideas of public spaces. Research done by both Americorps and H2Olypia
reveals traditional concept of a park, a place with benches and
vegetation in which to to loiter and relax' are at odds the function
of the JSW. H20lympia's five day survey of well users in August found
that in a 12 hour period an average of 470 individual visits to the
well. In addition, 179 vehicles daily brought a significant number of
multi-gallon users. These numbers are a 3rd greater than the Americorp
survey of January 09. JSW is a busy place with a clear function:
Collecting water for off site consumption.

The problem with the term Olympia's Artesian Well is when it comes to
the design process the term is meaningless because is does not
describe function, and misleading in that it assumes there is a single
functioning artesian well. According to our inventory there are over
two dozen artesian wells in downtown Olympia of which 4 are currently
being used for potable water. H20lympia's strategic vision includes
daylight many of these wells for public use but for now we are focused
like a laser beam on the JSW.

I think an artesian well park, a place for quite introspection filled
with vegetation, benches, water inspired art and interpretive signage
and such to honor our free flowing, life giving artesian water is a
fantastic idea. I would like to see such a place designed consciously
from the ground up, not tacked on to an already up and functioning
drinking water well.

Laurian