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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 Flash flooding washes through downtown Ashland ... New pups confirmed in OR-7's Rogue Pack ... Police Reports ... Flash flooding washes through downtown Ashland ... New pups confirmed in OR-7's Rogue Pack ... Police Reports ... OSF asks for removal of fountain, planter from square where homeless gather The Oregon Shakespeare Festival has asked the city of Ashland to remove a broken fountain and a cement planter from a small plaza in front of the Black Swan Theatre downtown where panhandlers often gather. Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Jul. 10, 2014 at 5:05 PM Posted Jul. 10, 2014 at 5:05 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Work continues on former fountain site » Social News The Oregon Shakespeare Festival has asked the city of Ashland to remove a broken fountain and a cement planter from a small plaza in front of the Black Swan Theatre downtown where panhandlers often gather. The intent is to open up the area to allow more organized activities in the space, which is called Chautauqua Square, said OSF Executive Director Cynthia Rider. The city-owned fountain on the OSF-controlled site has been broken for many years and holds no water. City officials estimated repairs would cost $10,000 to $15,000. A city planter along the sidewalk at the corner of Main and Pioneer streets is a favorite sitting area for homeless people, travelers, panhandlers and musicians. Pedestrians walking on the sidewalk pass between a larger OSF planter on one side and the city planter, which borders Main Street. "There's a traffic congestion problem," Rider told Ashland city councilors earlier this month when asking for removal of the planter and fountain. "It narrows there and forces groups of people into a small, narrow space." City officials have no immediate plans to remove the planter or fountain. Councilors would likely weigh in on the matter, Ashland Finance and Administrative Services Director Lee Tuneberg said this week. City crews could tear out the planter and fountain themselves. But if councilors want the fountain to be removed whole so it can be used elsewhere, the city likely would need to hire someone else to do that work, City Administrator Dave Kanner said. Rider said panhandling activity is intermittent at Chautauqua Square. "It can be a problem. Sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn't," she said this week. "It seems to fluctuate. One concern we have is the space is not being used optimally. Sometimes there's nothing going on there." OSF has suggested a variety of activities for the square, such as a food cart, coffee cart, musicians and mini-performances. Rider said OSF welcomes suggestions from the community. "There are not a lot of good activities there to make it more active. Our goal is to make it a lot more welcoming and inviting," she said. €' Vickie Aldous Read more in the Daily Tidings on Friday. DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Jul. 10, 2014 at 5:05 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