|
|
 |
| |
Fountain
soaks up £500k
Cost jumps to £3.9m
A WATER feature planned for Swiss Cottage – mocked for
being designed by the architects behind the trouble-hit Princess
Diana Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park – is proving more
costly than first thought.
Leisure chiefs have revealed they have had to fork out extra
money to ensure its bore hole is filtered properly.
The fountain, a slope and paddling pool, which will be part
of the revamped open space at Swiss Cottage, have been criticised
for being ill-thought-out.
In late 2004, Conservative councillors questioned the Town Hall’s
decision to commission work from architect Kathryn Gustafson
– of Gustafson-Porter, the firm that hit the headlines
for all the wrong reasons when the Diana Memorial Fountain was
closed to children.
Councillor Andrew Mennear said then: “There is every risk
of this project being dubbed the Princess Diana Memorial debacle
mark II.” Cost of the open space’s facelift started
off at £3.47 million. But Labour leisure boss Councillor
Phil Turner said at a full council meeting last Wednesday that
the figure had jumped to £3.9 million.
He added: “The main reasons are increases associated with
the bore hole and water extraction, primarily to provide the
filtration and treatment to the extracted water to meet quality
standards. It’s riveting stuff.” Additional access
points had also to be provided to comply with the Disability
Discrimination Act.
Cllr Mennear said after the meeting: “Local people didn’t
want a water feature. What they wanted is no loss of space at
the all-weather pitch. Now we hear that this water feature is
going to cost an extra £500,000, which is ridiculous.”
Cllr Turner refused to release an investigation report into
the overspend at the Swiss Cottage redevelopment, which opposition
councillors have for two years insisted should be in the public
domain. He said it could not be released because of legal proceedings. |
| |
|
|
|
