The much-loved fountain in Bolton’s Queens Park sprung back to life this week following a major refurbishment as part of the largest investment into greenspace services.
For the first time since 2019, the Victorian era centrepiece is once again looking its splendid best thanks to a £17,000 repair project.
A comprehensive upgrade including new electrics and pumps has been completed alongside a thorough jet washing, bringing the structure back to its former glory to entertain visitors.
The initial switch on was a test run for when the fountain returns to full time display in April, after which it will run from 9am to 4pm, seven days a week.
When the park first opened in May 1866, the fountain was one of its main attractions.
Sadly, by the 1960s it had fallen into disrepair and the fountain basin was being used as a flower bed.
In 2009 the council secured £4.3m of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and work began to repair the water feature, soon uncovering the buried remains of much of the original structure.
It meant that the new stones could be carved with the same intricate design of water spirits, flowers and river plants that had decorated the original fountain.
The fountain’s return to working order is part of a series of projects designed to make sure that Bolton’s parks, playing fields and green spaces can be enjoyed long into the future.
Among them is the purchase of a fourth quad bike to spray weeds in parks and streets across the borough.
The bikes are an innovative way to get rid of weeds more quickly, allowing more places to be treated.
The council has also employed a new member of staff to focus on weed spraying, alongside more resources for difficult to treat areas like cobbled back streets.
Staff in Bolton’s town and district centres are removing more weeds with hand-held machinery, and better scheduling means the council is focussing on spraying in other areas when it is too windy to treat pavements and roadsides.
Meanwhile, the council has also released its first ever green space strategy, which will guide action and investment in parks, playing fields and green spaces until 2041.
Bolton Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Cllr Richard Silvester, said:
“I’m thrilled to see our grand old fountain back to looking its best, not least because I pass it almost every day.
“The improvements at Queens Park over the last few years have been most welcome, and they are just one example of our efforts to enhance and protect our greenspaces.
“The council firmly believes that easy access to and around high-quality green spaces for everyone in Bolton, regardless of wealth, health or where they live, is fundamental to happiness and wellbeing.”