MWRD to activate Melas Centennial Fountain for the season
WHO: Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) commissioners, staff, Chicago 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly and the community
WHAT: The MWRD will activate the Melas Centennial Fountain for the season.
WHERE: Nicholas J. Melas Centennial Fountain, 400 N. McClurg Court, Chicago, Ill.
WHEN: Thursday, May 28, 2026, at 10 a.m.
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) is welcoming the seasonal return of the iconic Nicholas J. Melas Centennial Fountain with a special kickoff event on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at 10 a.m. Chicago’s 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly and community partners are invited to watch as the MWRD activates the fountain and celebrates the start of river recreation season.
Located on the north bank of the Chicago River at McClurg Court, the fountain was constructed in 1989 to celebrate the MWRD’s 100th anniversary. The fountain is named after Nicholas J. Melas, a former MWRD commissioner elected in 1962 and who remained with the MWRD for 30 years, serving as president for 18 years.
The fountain was designed by Chicago architect Dirk Lohan, the grandson and collaborator of Mies van der Rohe. Lohan’s vision followed the symmetry of the continent’s water flow, trickling from individual watersheds and streams, leading to larger bodies of water and eventually flowing and combining in the ocean.