People are stupid

[Aristocath]

Let me preface this with how sorry I am for the loss of four lives. But things like this don't have to happen.

Here in Fort Worth we have a beautiful park downtown designed by Phillip Johnson called the Water Gardens. There are a number of pools and fountains and it is a wonderful, often serene place to go. There are plaques all over the park that say no swimming or wading in the pools.

On Wednesday evening, four Chicagoans visiting for a convention drowned in the large active pool. Why? the pool at thier hotel was closed for maintenaince and they wanted "a place to cool their feet." So despite the signs, they went wading in a pool that pumps 10,500 gallons of water a minute. An 8 year old girl slipped in and when her 11 year old friend reached in to help her, she was sucked in, too. A thirteen year old boy jumped in, followed by the 39 year old father, who was desribed as "being near the area." The two girls couldn't even swim.

I am terribly sorry this happened but what were they thinking!. I just don't understand this disregard for common sense rules. Some tragedys are just so preventable.

 

[yourtravelpro]

Yes, I read about this. Also, thinking about the poor mother who lost her husband and 2 children. I can't even begin to imagine her pain and wonder how she will ever be able to begin to heal.

 

[ballroombelle]

This was hard to envision without seeing the place....Water Gardens .

Tragic...they may need to re-think the signage...something more severe-sounding...listing the occurrence of casualties and accidents, maybe....

Stunning place...so sad.

 

[Lorix2]

Ballroombelle - Oh my! I couldn't really envision it either when I read the story. Now that I saw the picture, I can't believe they'd attempt to go in there. So tragic...

 

[Lorix2]

There are ONLY signs posted? No security gates or fences to keep people out? What if the family couldn't read the language on the signs?

 

[CindysGusGus]

I dont think more extreme signage would have worked in this case. Kids that are that age do not think of what could happen to them. They are immortal, nothing can touch them. Extremely tragic and I feel so bad for the mom/wife.

 

[ballroombelle]

Cyndi and Lori...I think you're both right.

I don't know this place so I can't even begin to imagine at what point this family approached this site. The most powerful jets look as if they ar at the base, but the photo in the link doesn't show how you'd reach it or if you even could.

The areas of the "falls" adjacent to the park seem to show very steep concrete walls...is there a guardrail there?

Very hard to tell ...I hate having things roped off and restricted when common sense should tell you not to get too close but maybe there are parts of this structure that could use SOMETHING more.

 

[wvrevy]

There's a reason the hairdryer has to have a tag saying "Do not use while sleeping" and the clothes iron has to have a tag that says "Do not use on clothes while wearing them"....

 

[Toby'sFriend]

it is interesting that you say they are from Chicago because there are several fountains in the Chicago area where children are encouraged to get wet.

I could easily see a young child climbing out onto that thing.

 

[jetsetter90]

Hi,

I saw this on the either GMA or the Today show this morning. The foutain is beautiful and from my understanding there since the early 1970's.

As soon as I heard that they went in because their hotel pool was closed I thought the same thing "What are you thinking?" I understand they where there for some church group function but you know there are reasons there are signs and I'm sorry even if you can't read, I'm not saying they couldn't, I think NO would be understood by anyone older than 5.

They ended the piece with "Lawsuits being filed". This burns me because whose liable here...and don't give me yada yada. If you don't belong you shouldn't go.

I'm sorry for ranting but this really got me upset all around for the poor family and everything else.

Prayers for the family.

 

[WDWHound]

If you've seen the movie Logan's Run, you've seen this fountain. It shows up briefly in the middle of the film and the quite a bit more at the end. The last scene in the movie (where the young city residents fleeing the city encounter the old man) takes place there .

 

[my3kids]

From the picture, it looks like there are steps of some sort down the layers to the edge of the bottom "hole" that has the water streams dumping into it? If I am seeing it correctly, I'm very surprised they allow people to walk down into the structure at all. There isn't a barrier to keep someone from slipping into the pool at the bottom???

 

[Aristocath]

Based on interviews with people they were travelings with, they saw the signs and chose to disregard them, as some people do in hot weather around here. The active pool is designed so that people may go on large concrete stones down into the pool but not into the water. Apparently Philip Johnson designed it with that element of danger, not thinking people would try to go in. The Gardens are over thirty years old and we've never had any drownings before. So sad.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I looked up a couple of articles from newspapers that said the signs are frequently ignored and it is not uncommon to see people wading on the upper levels.

It is a horrible tragedy, that is for sure.

 

[nuke]

Originally posted by Lorix2
There are ONLY signs posted? No security gates or fences to keep people out? What if the family couldn't read the language on the signs?

We do not need to succumb to the lowest common denominator in this country because of something that might happen. Look at that picture! Would you go in there? I wouldn't and I sure as heck wouldn't let my children go in. I don't even think signs are necessary.

What a sad thing to happen but the OP is right....How Stupid!

 

[HollyJoy]

I saw this story on the news and as tragic as it was, I was outraged to hear that there may be a lawsuit against the city to come! WHY? The news story even showed the posted warning signs....NO WADING/NO SWIMMING! Such a sad event that happened, but I agree, don't ignore warning signs!

 

[arminnie]

The Water Garden is a spectacular work of art. I've been there many times. It's been there for DECADES and nothing like this has never happened before.

I don't think it should be fenced off as part of its beauty is that you literally walk through it - on the part where you are supposed to be - I always thought it was very clearly marked and I've even been there at night.

I don't buy the "it was so hot they had to cool off reasoning" - They could have stayed in the hotel in the air-conditioning. That was just incredible stupid - tragic - but stupid. So sad for the mother.

 

[Grog]

They ended the piece with "Lawsuits being filed".

Is anyone here surprised?

 

[cati]

xx