Sod has been rolled out adding a rich green color of the turf replacing the dusty brown hues of the summer-long construction project on Avenue of the Fountains.

The $1.5 million project is winding down as the contractor puts last minute touches on the walkway pavers, installs irrigation lines and connects power. The new water features are filled with water and some are even running intermittently for testing.

While work essentially should be completed in time for next week’s Fountain Festival, it will not be accessible to visitors or vendors. The real “unveiling” of the project will come in time for the annual holiday season opening with the Stroll in the Glow on Saturday, Dec. 6.

The holiday decorations will include lights through the trees in front of businesses along the north side of the Avenue, and the larger trees in the median park will be lighted. The ground level sculpture lights will also be in place to celebrate the holidays.

Rabbi Mendy Lipskier of Chabad Fountain Hills met with Mayor Linda Kavanagh last week to discuss a location to place the Menorah for the Hanukkah holidays that begin on Dec. 16 this year.

He selected a location with the objective of using the same site each year.

Lipskier said he is pleased that Mayor Kavanagh personally took time to meet with him and discuss the location.

“That is what makes Fountain Hills the town that it is,” he said. “The mayor will take time from her busy schedule to help with concerns like this.”

This Thursday, Nov. 6, at its regular session the Town Council will consider the public submissions for the renaming of the “median” portion of the Avenue. Maintenance of the new facility is being taken over from the street department by the parks department.