Lachenauer fountain may be just the beginning

Public art may be picking up steam in Watertown. While the headlines in the news on Tuesday were about the City Council's decision to narrow the 14 designs submitted to the North Country Arts Council for the Lachenauer Plaza fountain to just two finalists, lawmakers appeared to leave the door open for future projects.

Council members repeatedly said a detailed design that depicts the history of Watertown would look good as a mural elsewhere.

Mayor Jeffrey E. Graham said following the meeting that the art scene is contributing to the revitalization of downtown. In the last three years, murals have been painted on Factory Street and on the back of the Empsall Building.

Monday night, designs C and D, pictures next to this post, were chosen as finalists for the fountain located at Arsenal and Court streets.

On Tuesday, I talked with arts council president Kari Robertson about the designs. She said that while her group is pushing the project, it does not want to advertise one design over another. She also noticed the City Council's openness to consider other art projects in the city.

Split between the two designs, the City Council has placed its decision on the back of Councilman Jeffrey M. Smith, who was not at the meeting Monday.

During a June 21 meeting, Mr. Smith said he liked Design B, which is not one of the finalists. Discussion about the project will continue Monday when the City Council meets at the New York State Zoo at Thompson Park.