It’s not likely that anyone has been pining to leap onto the splash pad at the Whirlpool Compass Rose Fountain in recent days with the kinds of temperatures we’ve been suffering through in Michigan’s Great Southwest, but that destination attraction is typically ready to roll right around the first of May.
Now that we’re finally destined for some decidedly warmer temperatures in the week ahead, the itch may get a little stronger, but thanks to the weather delays that have kept Southwest Michigan fruit trees devoid of the legendary blossoms so far, and the weather conditions that kept winter on our doorstep longer than anyone anticipated, the Compass Rose Fountain at Whirlpool Centennial Park below the bluff in St. Joseph will also be delayed this season.
St. Joseph City officials say that the below normal temperatures that have prevailed for weeks on end have precluded the necessary annual re-caulking campaign from taking place, which means that the fountain itself cannot be turned on for the season just yet.
Inasmuch as it takes 50-degree days or better for the caulk to cure effectively to do the job, the fountain’s opening has been pushed back to a tentative start date now of May 15th this year. Start-up maintenance crews will be getting after the task to prep the fountain for everyone’s enjoyment.
When the fountain is ready, it will operate on a limited scale until Memorial Day, running from noon until two pm and again from 5 until 9pm daily through the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day the fountain’s schedule calls for daily operations from 10am to 9pm seven days a week. Then, the truncated schedule in the fall will operate on the same schedule as in spring with the splash pad in effect from noon until 2pm and again from 5 to 9pm daily through the last Sunday in September.
The fountain is closed annually from the day after the last Sunday in September through the first Monday in May.
Additionally, the fountain will be closed for maintain on the following days and whenever inclement weather such as thunder storms, heavy rains and extreme winds preclude it’s safe operation:
- May 30th
- June 27th
- July 25th
- August 29th
The Whirlpool Compass Rose Founatain is located below the bluff in St. Joseph across the railroad tracks from the Amtrak station and Silver Beach Pizza, in the space between there and Silver Beach County Park.
The photo of the fountain accompanying this story is courtesy of Joshua Nowicki as provided by the Silver Beach Carousel in St. Joe which is pictured in the background.
