SYRACUSE -- Metal barricades have been put up outside the water fountain in Clinton Square, but the city says it is not in an effort to keep people from wading into the water.
According to Parks and Recreation Department Commissioner Pat Driscoll, the barricades were put up Friday morning in preparation for next week's Taste of Syracuse festival. He says they are not specifically set up to keep people from going into the fountain, and that they will come down when the festival is over.
City Hall says walking or swimming in the water around the fountain is prohibited. The city says using the fountain for cooling off is dangerous, because there are no lifeguards on duty and the water is not chlorinated.
Syracuse Police say it is up to the discretion of the individual police officers whether to ticket anyone who wades into the fountain.
The city's public swimming pools don't open till the end of June, after school lets out for the summer, but there are alternatives. Several spray parks are operated at city parks where children can cool off.
Here is a list of where the spray parks are located:
Union Playlot
Comfort-Tyler
Lewis Park
Burnet Park
Onondaga Park
Skiddy Park
