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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW More thunderstorms expected ... Stay out of the creek, officials warn ... Motor home destroyed in Talent-area fire ... More thunderstorms expected ... Stay out of the creek, officials warn ... Motor home destroyed in Talent-area fire ... OUR VIEW Our View: A change of scenery Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Feb. 26, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 26, 2015 at 1:54 PM Posted Feb. 26, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 26, 2015 at 1:54 PM » Social News The city has removed a non-working fountain and accompanying planter from what is known as Chautauqua Square, in front of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's Black Swan Theatre. While some have decried the loss of seating space for Ashland's homeless population, on balance the move is a positive one. The city-owned fountain, installed in 1990, began leaking in 1992 and was shut off. The festival, which leases Chautauqua Square from the city, asked last June to have it removed. The city will save the marble pieces for possible use elsewhere. OSF has applied to the city for permission to operate a food concession on the square, with tables and chairs. That will be more inviting than a broken fountain, and will eliminate a pedestrian bottleneck. The fountain and planter faced a second planter across the sidewalk adjacent to Main Street. At times, when panhandlers sat on both planters, pedestrians were compelled to traverse an intimidating gantlet or cross the street to avoid it. Some did just that. We are well aware that many homeless people who frequent downtown are not aggressive panhandlers and do not behave inappropriately. That does not change the fact that some do. Like it or not, Ashland's tourist industry is a major part of the local economy, and making visitors more comfortable is not a bad thing. Removing one seating place from a downtown that offers plenty of other options won't be an undue burden on anyone, and will make strolling downtown more pleasant for everyone. DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Feb. 26, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 26, 2015 at 1:54 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501