SC Johnson has partnered with the City of Racine to bring its memorial fountain up to code. The memorial fountain, dedicated to the memory of Capt. Laurel Salton Clark, the Racine-native astronaut who lost her life in the space shuttle Columbia disaster, will receive much-needed renovations that will bring it up to code and make it a safe, fun place for children to play and cool down in the summer months.
"The residents of Racine – and children in particular – love this fountain," said SC Johnson chairman and CEO Fisk Johnson. "It’s a beautiful, inspiring place for families to gather on a hot summer day so we would like to make sure the fountain is functioning properly and the water is safe.”
The fountain, built in 2002, was intended to be a capstone visual attraction at the end of the Sam Johnson Parkway in downtown Racine. Since then however, visitors to the memorial have used it as a splash pad, using the water to play and cool off in hot weather. Because the fountain wasn’t designed for human interaction, its current condition does not meet state codes for water treatment and safety when used as a splash pad.
SC Johnson will help to fund renovation plans that will make the fountain compliant and reduce annual maintenance costs for the city.
"The city is fortunate to have a great community partner like SC Johnson step forward to make this generous donation," said Mayor John Dickert. "Funding for the renovation and operation of the fountain would not be possible without their support."
