Public Art & Fountain

The beautiful Wissahickon Gate, at the Chestnut Street entrance to John F. Collins Park, was created by sculptor Christopher T. Ray (1937-2000). The animals and plants depicted on the gates are native to the Wissahickon and Delaware Valleys. 

 The Estuary Gate at the Ranstead entrance, also by sculptor Ray, is a tribute to the marshlands of New Jersey and Delaware, depicting moving water and islands, turtles and fish, a sky filled with migrating birds and sculpted reeds gently curved by the wind. The Fountain is a tribute to Native American totems. The fountain operates seasonally, from April through October.

Water Safety Procedures

The Center City District values the trust parents put in us to ensure the safety of water in our play fountains and follows industry-recommended best practices for proactive water-safety management at Dilworth Park, Sister Cities Park and John F. Collins Park.

CCD staff test the water features in our parks three times each day. Using a professional water-testing kit, recommended by water treatment experts Klenzoid Inc. of Conshohocken, CCD staff checks the cleanliness of the water as well as the presence of safe and appropriate levels of chlorine to prevent the growth of bacteria.  If there are any imbalances or deficiencies in chlorine levels, CCD staff immediately addresses the situation on site.

Klenzoid is also under contract to visit each park twice a week, independently to take samples and send them to a certified laboratory to culture water samples to check for bacterial growth. Kits available in commercial stores can’t provide these laboratory tests that require several days of monitoring and evaluation.  The results of these reports come directly back to CCD and if there are any problems, CCD staff takes immediate corrective action.

Please note that since the fountain water is chlorinated it may not be safe for pets.