"We wanted a visual, beautiful look that was aesthetically pleasing." Nate Robinson
It’s not Mount Everest.
It’s Mount Aqua, a frozen snow sculpture in Munson Township that has peaked — or, rather, piqued — local interest.
The sculpture, a white 14-foot creation soaked in blue dye, is located in front of AQUA DOC headquarters on Mayfield Road.
The harsh winter and excessive snowfall has helped the sculpture — formed by frozen, dyed water coming out of AQUA DOC’s Aqua Master-brand fountain — soar to its record height, said AQUA DOC President John M. Wilson Jr.
It’s a way to showcase the durability of its decorative pond fountains and water distribution systems. The company has kept the Aqua Master going 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
AQUA DOC is a full service lake and pond management company. Although its main focus is aquatic algae and weed control, it also specializes in fountain and pond landscape design, according to its website.
“Normally, we’d tell our customers to turn their fountains off and pull them out of the water during the winter season,” Wilson said. “But this Aqua Master demonstrator model gives us an idea of how long it can last.”
The fountain is attached to a stabilized float that keeps it in place.
An oil-cooled motor underneath runs the fountain and water pump. The water is shot in the air and then is re-circulated back into the pond, said Chief Financial Officer Nate Robinson.
“We wanted a visual, beautiful look that was aesthetically pleasing,” he added.
AQUA DOC moved from Kirtland to Munson Township in the summer of 2006, taking over a former complex owned by DeBord Plumbing.
That first year, the sculpture only topped about four feet high due to a mild winter, Robinson said, adding the piece acts as a de facto weather thermometer.
“Chardon is the snowbelt capital of Ohio, so we thought we’d look into putting this into our front as a showpiece,” Wilson said. “It’s another crazy winter. We’ve had so many days below zero.”
Drivers can be seen constantly turning to look at the creation as they drive by.
A nice touch is a metal dock and bench adjacent the pond, created by a local company, Metal Craft Docks, Inc. There is also a waterfall and dam on the east side of the pond. Wilson said local children sometimes fish in the pond during summer.
“There’s bluegills, bass, you name it,” Robinson added.
AQUA DOC, which has existed for 32 years, maintains its headquarters in Munson Township, but has offices in Grove City, Cincinnati and Atlanta. It services about 1,000 fountain motors annually.
The products are used in environments such as golf courses, parks and private properties, Robinson said.
