Located along the Ohio River in Owensboro, Kentucky, is a revamped five-block destination called Smothers Park. It is divided into three parts with a fully accessible playground, a memorial park dedicated to Veteran’s of foreign war, and at the park’s center, the Signature Fountain and its riverfront cascade.

Set in a vast plaza, the Signature Fountain is composed of three distinct basins that make up an eye-shaped formation. As visitors gather and meander through this liquid stage, they find themselves surrounded by an invigorating water play. Mesmeric jets emit from each basin in pulsing, tall surges, giving way to elegant twists and bursts. Adjacent to it, an expansive curved cascade blurs the line between the park and the Ohio River. Choreographed waves, supplied by the river’s own water body, gush and roll over the stepped slope, calling visitors to the riverfront’s edge with its roaring sound.

In late 2013, WET returned to Owensboro to complete the Signature Fountain with an installation that can be enjoyed on even the coldest Kentucky day. A sculptural steel frame, erected in its central basin, is designed to grow crystalline ice formations that transform the fountain’s core into a naturally morphing ice sculpture.

The Signature Fountain at Owensboro’s Smothers Park provides a community destination and beach-like escape within the city for locals and tourists alike.