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Lake: Home of the giant lava lamp They've got to compete with Moses Lake's Space Needle somehow By Erin Stuber, Herald staff writer While Moses Lake has been attracting its fair share of attention about becoming the future home of the Seattle Space Needle, nearby Soap Lake is making headlines as the destination for a proposed 68-foot lava lamp placed in the center of downtown. Brent Blake, an architect and design consultant who grew up in Moses Lake, though he now primarily works on the west side of the state, conceived the idea nearly half a year ago with the help of Soap Lake resident John Glassco. "We just kind of explored that idea and went with it," Blake said. Blake and Glassco propose the structure will tower over downtown Soap Lake with a maximum height of 68 feet and diameter of 24 feet, although those dimensions could vary. Its structural metal base and cap will hold the 4- to 6-inch thick glass lamp containing the same contents as conventional lava lamps, which use a combination of liquids and colored treated water. An observation deck surrounding the structure will provide visitors with a closer view; a fee will be established to access it, which will provide money to help finance and maintain the structure. A Web site about the giant lava lamp depicts its placement in the middle of the intersection between the Del Red and the Soap Lake Businessman's Club, although where the lamp would actually stand is still a matter of debate. "That's not the likely place that it would end up," admits Blake. "I don't think I'd put it in that intersection they're talking about," longtime Soap Lake resident Beverly Hasper said. "I'm afraid people would slam into it and have lava juice running all over their car." Blake, who owns property in Soap Lake, including the former police administration building and city hall, both historic buildings which he has restored, believes the giant lava lamp is exactly what the town needs. "It's an interesting little community and it needs some renewed vitality," he said. The lava lamp theme is a perfect fit for Soap
Lake, Blake said. "It has a healing quality to it,"
Blake said, citing reports he's read that the lamps have been
known to have a calming effect on children with Attention Deficit
Disorder and similar problems. "And that sort of ties it in
with the healing history and healing quality of Soap Lake."
The unique minerals in Soap Lake once drew tourists who sought out
the supposed therapeutic powers of the water. "It's definitely something we want to work on to make it a reality," Blake said. DeVaun Black, a city council member and 30-year resident of Soap Lake, sees no reason not to support the idea. "We're not going to squash it," Black said. "It would be a curiosity." Black added that he wouldn't oppose the construction of a giant lava lamp because Blake and Glassco anticipate it would come at no cost to the City of Soap Lake. Blake plans to ask for funding from private donors and has created a non-profit foundation called SoLa LaLa (derived from Soap Lake Lava Lamp) to assist in fundraising. "There's all kinds of theories about funding," Blake said, adding that he hopes to meet with Paul Allen to seek the co-founder of Microsoft's financial support. "If nothing else, its getting us a lot of press," Soap Lake Mayor Ken Lee said of the lava lamp. "It might push Soap Lake forward a little bit. It would be an attraction, hopefully get people to stop and spend a little time in town." "I think anyone would stop and look at a
60-foot lava lamp," Leslie Slough, a Realtor and Soap Lake
city council member said. "I think people would come from all
over the world to see it." On the Net: http://www.giantlavalamp.com
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