http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/community/park-fountain-revamp-hope-1-5121705
Didn't somebody on here predict this the other day? By way of a reward for always voting with Labour?
I managed to delete the post after trying to edit it and couldn't be arsed to re-type it all. In essence, it occurred to me that Ms Atkinson's win in Seaton had the effect of reducing Labour's ability to achieve a two-thirds majority in the council chamber; Mike Turner was almost as reliable as Wells for voting with Labour. As a result, Labour are now more reliant than ever on the Tory vote and so there is an even greater need to keep Wells sweet. The fountain is the obvious catalyst but even I was expecting a little more subtlety.
Setting the politics of this matter apart I for one would dearly love to see the fountain in action again. Having been brought up not far from the Park, or almost in the Park ,and having fished in the pond for years I hold the area most dearly. To me the answer is quite simple. At the present time the Park Keepers lodge is up for sale. Would it not be possible to use part of the proceeds and re-invest in the infrastructure to allow younger generations to share the pleasure I had half a century plus ago. Bearing in mind the Park was a gift to the town I feel it is the only decent thing to do. However decency appears to be in short supply in the council chamber.
I wonder if a collaboration between some of the Companies in town & the College could be persuaded to take on the task of repairing the fountain as a field exercise for their apprentices.
It would be a really good experience for the future trademen & women of Hartlepool, HBC may well need to provide some finance, but the companies may very well contribute materials & equipment on a cost only basis.
I believe the fountain is too difficult to repair, it would have to be 'broken' to get to the pipe work.
Why not give up on it and build a new one or install some gubbins in the base that fire water onto the fountain (rather than out of the fountain).
The fountain saga has gone on longer than the failed grot spot crusade !
Why not just use a standard pump from B&Q, it will only last 2 years but it'll cost £200, whereas if the council do it , it will be £8000.
I would guess most people would like to see the fountain brought back into use. As I understand it, the only gripe that people have is the fact that the park has had a hell of a lot of money spent on it over the last few years - over £1m - and that refurbishing the fountain was part of that spend. However, the repair to the fountain lasted all of 5 minutes before we were back at square one.