By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org
A staple in the Grand Haven community for 60 years, this week the popular Mr. Sid’s Video Series will focusing on the Grand Haven Fountain.
Terry Stevens, the fountain engineer, will join the group to talk about the history of the largest musical fountain “of its kind” in the world and the particulars about its operation. The presentation is at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17, at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW.
Stevens is on the Musical Foundation Board and an instructor in the engineering department at Grand Valley State University.
The Grand Haven Musical Fountain is a synchronized display of water and lights. The fountain is located on Dewey Hill on the north shore of the Grand River, not far from where Grand River connects to Lake Michigan.
The fountain was the brainchild of Dr. William “Bill” Creason, longtime resident, dentist, and former Grand Haven mayor. The fountain was modeled after a Przystawic musical fountain show which Creason saw in Germany while providing density for the U.S. Navy after World War II.
Local engineer William Morris Booth designed the fountain which was building by volunteers in 1962. Over the years, the fountain’s program system has been upgraded several times. In 2017, the software was updated to take advantage of new lighting and water effects.
Upcoming Sid Lenger Vide Series programs are: Sid Lenger’s video of Switzerland on Sept. 21, and Lorna and Daniel Dobson lead a discussion on two of Rev. Ed Dobson’s video lessons “My Garden,” identity after losing a loved one, and “Ask Forgiveness” on Oct. 19.
All programs start with a 15-minute hymn sing at 1:45 p.m.
