Although the Cullen Family Plaza Fountain reopened Wednesday after more than a year of being closed for repairs, the fountain has always had problems.
On Sept. 21, 1972, the fountain first opened for the student body after months of delays. Students were invited to hop in the fountains and relax as well as sit around and enjoy the view. It was initially called the “Quadrangle Fountains” after the old name for the Cullen Plaza, the “Academic Quads.”
However, just ten days after opening, the fountains were closed and drained because of “vandals who sat on the lighting connections, which resulted in an electrical hazard,” according to The Daily Cougar.
Five days later, while refilling the pool, faulty construction forced the campus to close the fountain again for two weeks while it was re-outfitted.
Forty-six years later, the fountain is a symbol of campus and a dazzling spot for students to relax. When it’s open, that is.
