Public Art in Central Christchurch
Ferrier Fountain
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Location:
Town Hall, Kilmore Street Setting: Set in the Avon River within the Town Hall complex, facing Victoria Square Owner / administrator: Christchurch Town Hall, Christchurch City Council Category: Fountain Title: Ferrier Fountain Foundry / fabricator: Ustigate Limited, United Kingdom Installation date: 1972 |
The Ferrier Fountain was donated by Mr and Mrs C. J Ferrier who responded to Councillor Hay's televised hope that a citizen of Christchurch would endow the Avon River site of the Town Hall complex with a fountain. Although the Ferriers had already contributed to the Town Hall project, they sent a cheque for the amount of $ 20 000 with the condition that they would like to approve the name and design of the fountain.
Problems occurred and it looked like the fountain might not be in place for the opening of the Town Hall in 1972. Due to strike action in England the equipment for the fountain was stranded until Mr Ferrier arranged for it to be air freighted to New Zealand in time for it to be assembled and functioning for the ceremony.1
Christchurch's Ferrier Fountain resembles the famous El Alemein fountain in Kings Cross, Sydney, and was manufactured by the same designers. It is a 'sphere de fleur" design which consists of three separate static water display fountains that are at different heights and diameters. There are two complete spheres and one hemisphere just above the water level in a triangular grouping.
1 Brittenden, W.J.A; A Dream Come True the Christchurch Town Hall, (published by the Town Hall Committee, 1972)
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