Heidelberg’s ‘pride and joy’ as many residents refer to it, has been restored to its former glory. The globe fountain at Heidelberg Town Hall is working after being neglected for many years.
Lesedi Local Municipality (LLM) has started to restore the globe fountain as well as the fountain at the new municipal building in HF Verwoerd Street in October.
Advocate Gugu Thimane (acting municipal manager) made it her vision to see the fountains restored after HERAUT prompted her about the state of the neglected landmarks during a media meeting in 2018. Before restoration, the fountains were seemingly utilised as a rubbish dump by members of the public.
Both fountains were restored by December 20 and HERAUT published the good news on our Facebook page, which resulted in many residents responding with fond memories of the globe fountain at the town hall in Voortrekker Street.
Finess Gerber said it must be the first time since her school going days that she has experienced the fountain in working order. “I think the late Oom Ernst du Preez (former mayor) is looking from above and smiling to see the good work that has been done. We hope the fountains stay in this working state and that residents won’t vandalise it,” Gerber added.
Bennie Burger said he used to work for the then Rensburg Municipality before it merged with Heidelberg. “Louis Upton and personnel from the treasury department expected me to wash off the ‘filthiness’ of Rensburg in that same fountain. That was the good old days,” Burger remembered.
Chris Nortje said that in his Hoër Volkskool-days the dares entailed washing powder being poured in the fountain while Chris Potgieter remembered how school children used to walk past the globe fountain in the late sixties on their way to school. “We used to dunk our bare feet in the water just to defrost it,” he recalled.
Wourine Rae said the globe fountain is synonymous with three exclamations: “Late night jol… a wee… and a box of Omo!” Ricki Cooper-Mays said “Fountain = lekker smooch” and Verlyn Troskie wrote “cold water Omo”.
Jankie Khumalo (manager) of LLM’s fleet and facilities department said they are proud of the achievement. “Everything from the clearing of the sites, filters, pumps, valves, drain suction, cracks and tiles had to be refurbished and we are glad to have been able to complete this project in order for the public to enjoy the fountains once again,” he concluded.
