New Improvement Creates a Splash at Center Springs
This summer, the Town of Manchester is happy to offer a new, attractive amenity to Center Springs Pond! The town has contracted with The Pond and Lake Connection out of Brookfield, CT to install a pond aeration system and fountains, equipped with differing spray ranges and lighting features. The functions of the fountain will include the ability to change spray patterns and set different color lighting with the RGBW LED lighting set. This allows for the fountain lights to be set to red, green, blue, white or a combination of those colors. These effects can be used for dramatic displays, whether to celebrate certain holidays or to give the pond a stunning appearance any night of the week.
In addition to the fountain, several pond bed bubblers have been installed, performing an unseen function just below the service. The pond was dredged in 2018, with the goal of improving water quality. However, one common result of a dredging project is an increase of nutrients in the water, feeding the growth of algae and floating plants. In order to combat this appearance, the bubblers will increase the circulation of fresh water throughout the pond, oxygenating the water and breaking up the growth of algae. This will improve the water quality and the overall appearance.
The addition of a fountain is just one of the many improvements the town hopes to see in the future, as a part of the Center Springs Park Master Plan created by the Town of Manchester in 2018. The proposed park improvements in the plan include focusing on the park’s visibility and physical connectivity to adjacent districts, enhancing the internal park amenities for a more enjoyable visitor experience, and activating the park through events and programming designed to consistently attract users. Many of the new ideas for improvement listed in the masterplan were based off of public workshops in which the Government Academy class, Manchester Youth Commission, Friends of Center Springs Park, and Walk in the Park participated. One of the suggested improvements to internal amenities included “improving the pond as a more attractive, useful amenity,” specifically the “installation of a fountain or light feature.” Center Springs Park is a beautiful space with unrealized potential as a great destination and this fountain addition is just one of many improvement projects planned for the future. The town will now be focusing on the proposed renovation of the Eastern Entrance on Main and Bigelow streets, which would create a highly visible and accessible pedestrian gateway entrance on the park’s eastern edge. Proposed enhancements include landscaping, signage and the construction of formal pathways. There is a lot to look forward to in terms of enhancements to the park, which has the potential to become a more accessible and attractive space that all residents and visitors can enjoy.
Keep an eye out for the new fountain, both during the day and at night when the light features are most prominently displayed. These latest installations will not only bring additional beauty to the park, but will also bring a clearer appearance and greater water quality to the pond. The town is excited to see this newest enhancement to the pond, as Center Springs is at the heart of Manchester.