After enduring an arduous trek up Janss Steps, students are
usually rewarded with the sight of a flowing fountain, which gently
splashes and spills down its step-like design. For some, it’s
a place to study and relax. For others, it’s a perfect site
for a quick photo.
But recently, the water has run dry.
Shapiro Fountain, located in Royce Quad atop Janss Steps, has
been dry for nearly a month due to a large flood that damaged the
fountain’s electrical equipment and pump in late December of
last year, likely the result of a broken pipe.
The fountain features a cascading waterfall that typically runs
throughout the day. During special occasions on campus, the
fountain spouts water vertically.
When UCLA General Services representatives opened the door of
the fountain’s equipment room just before the quarter began
in early January, they discovered that water had flowed into the
room and damaged much of the electrical equipment, as well as the
pump, said Gail Cowling, executive officer of General Services.
Though numerous electrical repairs have been completed, General
Services is still waiting for a new pump, which was sent out in
early January, Cowling said.
During the fountain’s drought, General Services has also
taken the opportunity to conduct maintenance on the lighting system
located in the interior of the fountain.
Cowling hopes to have the fountain operating by the end of next
week, provided the pump arrives this week.
But the campus community doesn’t seem to have missed it
much.
Though the campus is continuously judged by prospective students
and their parents on campus tours, guides are not so concerned with
the broken fountain.
Jared Zack, UCLA Campus Tours supervisor, said tours are not
affected by the fact that the fountain is not functioning
properly.
Zack said that although the route does pass by the fountain, the
key focus of that section of the tour is education about the Royce
Quad buildings, including the landmark Royce Hall and Powell
Library.
Undergraduate Students Association Council Facilities
Commissioner Joseph Vardner did not express great concern over the
fountain’s maintenance issues either.
However, Vardner said general campus maintenance is
important.
“I think the overall beauty of the campus is
important,” Vardner said.
Students similarly expressed little concern over the
now-barren
fountain.
“I just barely noticed that there was no water in the
fountain,” third-year anthropology student Selva Torres said.
She said she did not know why there wasn’t any water in the
fountain and that she felt it detracted from the beauty of the
campus.
Other students simply did not care if the fountain was
flowing.
“I think it would look better, but I don’t really
care that much,” first-year mechanical engineering student
David Luke said.
Hamilton Yuan, a third-year business economics student, said
though the fountain looks nice while functioning, “I’m
pretty indifferent.”