The leaves have changed colour, the wind has become fiercer, and the McCain Interactive Fountain has closed for the season, indicating that fall is here and winter is approaching.
According to the city's director of operations, Jocelyn Lequier-Jobin, there isn't an exact day on the calendar to shut off the fountain, but the city usually turns it off near the end of September.
"This year, we had it on a little longer than other years, with our beautiful September weather, it was getting used right until the end," she laughedÂ
Lequier-Jobin expressed joy in seeing many young families using the fountain on those wamrer days.
"We did see a lot of use of it this year, just about every day that I drove by there. It was nice out this summer, and there were always groups of people using it. It really helps to cool off on those hot days."
She mentioned that they turned on the fountain a little later than usual this year due to electrical needs, with the skatepark close by taking priority.
Regarding the closing of the fountain, Lequier-Jobin explained that it is more complicated than just turning off a switch.
"We have to make sure that the lines are all empty of water so that nothing freezes and breaks over the winter. We want to get all the water out of the lines up and into past where we have our water meter so that anything above ground or close to the surface will be dry to protect everything."
The operations department noted that once things warm up in the summer, the city has all the electrical work ready to have the fountain on as soon as possible in the spring.