Dogwood Park Fountain Nears Reopening

Cookeville’s Dogwood Park Fountain could be ready to reopen in as little as two weeks.

Leisure Services Director Rick Woods said the repairs for the fountain are complete and they are waiting on the delivery of the new stone materials that will cover its exterior. Woods said he anticipates a week to a week and a half of work once the stone arrives.

“We have tested it,” Woods said. “It appears to be ready to go as soon as we can get the column reconstructed or finished. The column itself is, is constructed, but as soon as we can get the veneer on the outside, making it look nice again, we will be ready to, and get the bowl back on top, we’ll be ready to open it.”

Woods said he ordered the stone quite awhile back and was told it would take only two or three weeks to arrive. He said he hopes it will be ready any day.

“It’s taken quite awhile,” Woods said. “We anticipated it would take quite some time, but I’d hoped to have it done by this point. We’re still in the holding pattern.”

Woods said they have done extensive work on the fountain area including deconstructing its entire column, replacing many parts of the deck jets, and digging up areas of the deck to repair leaks before replacing that concrete.

Woods said he has gotten a lot of questions from the community about when the fountain will reopen. Woods say they are just as frustrated by the delay as the public is.

“We understand that, and we appreciate the public’s patience, and we’d like to have it flowing and operating as it’s supposed to operate again as well,” Woods said.