The Harding Centennial Plaza fountain has been broken for over two months and will not be fixed until early 2024.

The fountain that once helped earn UCA the title “The Most Beautiful College Campus in Arkansas” by BuzzFeed in 2017 now sits isolated with no running water or dazzling UCA-inspired purple lights. 

The fountain is a focal point for campus and sees a high amount of foot traffic during and outside of school hours.

“The main pump for the fountain went out and has been on back-order for two months now. It will likely be the first of the year before the new pump is installed, weather permitting,” Associate Vice President for Facilities Kevin Carter said.

Carter says the physical plant expects the new motor to be shipped Nov. 16, a week before Thanksgiving Break, but it could come in much later.

The new pump costs around $13,200 and physical plant workers will install it. Carter says the switch should be completed by February if the weather is on their side.

UCA purchased brand new fountain lights for about $39,200  in April, but due to the motor problem, they haven’t been running them for months.

The fountain was built as a perk after UCA alumni Rush and Linda Harding donated $1.2 million to UCA in late 2005.

“This is the first time this pump has gone out, and due to its age, they no longer make replacement parts for it, so the entire pump has to be replaced,” Carter said.

$500 million of the Harding’s donation was allotted to constructing the 2.5-acre plaza near Irby and Thompson Hall – including the fountain and the surrounding gardens. The remaining money went toward scholarships.

The Hardings’ donation was the largest in UCA history until the Windgate Foundation donated $20 million in 2019.

The fountain spray has been featured in numerous students’ graduation pictures throughout the years, some even taking it a step further and climbing into the running fountain.

While getting in the fountain for that perfect picture may have seemed worth it in the moment,

Carter said, “It could cause damage to the jets and lights. It is also unsafe due to the force of the water coming from the jets.” 

Another common occurrence during graduation season is pranks – one in particular is called “soaping.” 

The act of “soaping” is as simple as it sounds: put some form of soap in the fountain. Seemingly harmless, soap shenanigans can be a major hassle for maintenance workers and potentially damage fountain components.

“Every time the fountain is soaped, it causes stress on the pump and other components in the fountain,” Carter said. 

Even if no elements of the fountain break or are damaged from the soapy prank, it could still force maintenance to do a complete drain of the fountain and replenish it with hundreds of gallons of fresh water. 

Of course, with the fountain currently down and awaiting the new motor, UCA probably won’t see this problem this graduation season.