Plumbing aside, you just know kids had to have been jumping from one pool pit to another. City doesn’t seem to mind kids playing in the regular fountains, but this would be such a liability today. Wouldn’t surprise me if a kid or 2 already have drowned in them from when they were running. They would basically need a pay a cop/security to just be standing around during the summer months to prevent anyone going in it.

It’s a shame though. Someone once posted a album from the 70s that was full of shots of the steps with the fountains on, and they add so much value to the beauty of those steps.