New $1.2 million Kellogg Park fountain is officially dedicated
The majority of the cost of the new $1.2 million fountain was paid by the Wilcox Foundation, established by Jack Wilcox, one of the mainstays of the Plymouth community. Mr. Wilcox, who died at 83 in June of 2000, bequeathed his estate to be invested in the Plymouth community as seed money to create lasting improvements. Mr. Wilcox, a retired Navy captain, was tireless in his devotion to the community and had been involved in nearly every committee, civic and historic group in the city. He was named to the Plymouth Hall of Fame just prior to his death. Mr. Wilcox lived in the historic white home that faces Kellogg Park, originally built by Phillip Markham, the inventor of the air rifle.
As the new fountain was turned on for the first time, hundreds of residents applauded in appreciation. Plymouth Mayor Oliver Wolcott thanked everyone involved in the project and commented on the tremendous involvement of the community in choosing the design of the fountain.
“So many residents came forward and offered opinions and thoughts on this project; the amount of feedback we received was amazing,” Wolcott said. “This fountain is seven or eight years in the making and I'd venture to say that this project generated more thoughtful comments from residents than any other in the recent past.”
Scott Dodge, a member of the Wilcox Foundation Board of Directors, presented a special glass memento picturing the fountain to Wolcott; Plymouth City Manager Paul Sincock, Shaw Construction General Manager Ted Barker and design leader Chris Roy from the firm that designed the fountain, Outside The Lines. Dodge said their involvement and dedication were instrumental in the completion of the project.
Dodge said the fountain was a tribute to Mr. Wilcox and was something of which he would have been proud.
The new fountain replaces a similar park feature installed in 1970 which had required ongoing maintenance expenses and had failing, outdated mechanical and plumbing systems.
The new fountain includes timing devices to control the times it flows and safety features to halt the water flow in high winds along with updated electrical and plumbing systems.
