The Ira Keller’s Forecourt fountain will be drained today, Thursday September 22, and will be refilled and operational by the end of the day on Monday, September 26.

And no, it is not being drained because vandals had a post-concert public bubble bath on Tuesday night.

The fountain will be used by the Portland Opera to launch its 47^th season and share the beauty and breadth of opera with Portland’s citizens. At Saturday’s Big Night street fair, the fountain will be used to stage a projector that will simulcast the performance taking place inside the Keller Auditorium onto a 40-foot screen, where the public is invited to view the concert in a park setting, FREE of charge. After the performance, the Marx Brother’s movie A Night at the Opera will be aired.

The Portland Water Bureau is happy to work with civic and art groups who wish to use this graceful public space to enrich the lives of Portlanders.

These groups go through a fair and equitable process of acquiring permissions and permits and pay for the costs associated with the use of this public resource.

When vandals pour soap in the fountain or otherwise render it inoperable, Portland Water Bureau customers end up footing the bill for repairs, chemicals to treat the water pollution, and, if the water is polluted enough, the cost of draining the fountain of almost 60,000 gallons of water (and replacing it).

So next time someone wants to use the fountain for a public event, just call the Portland Water Bureau at (503) 823-7404 and ASK FIRST.

Otherwise, please leave the fountain alone and allow this public space to be used by all of the public, not just the few who want a bath.