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Liverpool fountains that kids ran through and ‘had a ball’
As the weather gets hotter and we edge closer to summer, many from Merseyside will be reminiscing about our lost lidos, favourite swimming pools and the days of running through the Liverpool city centre fountains.
Located in Williamson Square, the fountain, complete with an inscribed poem, was installed in 2004. At the time, £1.1m water feature was the first public fountain to be created in Liverpool in 30 years and was part of a £5.75m transformation of the square.
Made up of a double arch of water that rose out of the pavement at variable heights of up to 12ft, at night, the fountain was also turned on with a a blaze of changing colours. In 2004, the ECHO reported how Mersey poet Roger McGough – who provided the verse which surrounds the feature – was on hand to witness the switching-on of the 20 jets of water that made up the fountain.
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At the unveiling, he said: “I’m sure the people of Liverpool will come up with a name for the new fountain. I’ve lived in the city for two-thirds of my life and it was a great honour to be asked to put my name to something like this.
“I used to come drinking in this area when I was in my 20s, and I think the fountain gives it a breath of fresh air. It gives the Playhouse a vista as it had been hemmed in before. I wanted to make the poem like a children’s chant to make it fun, accessible and memorable.”
Children of a certain generation will have fond memories of running through the Williamson Square fountains on summer days – as well as a few adults. Much to the dismay of many parents, kids would end up coming home soaked or having to buy a change of clothes.
But in recent times, £1.1m metal grid fountain has remained turned off. It was said to suffer from flooding after being installed, with previous claims temporary food outlets added to the issue by pouring boiling fat down its grid – and more recently the council says it hasn’t worked for a number of years.
What are your memories of the Williamson Square fountains? Let us know in the comments section below.
As summer approaches, we shared one image of the fountains in 2006 and ECHO readers on our Liverpool memories and history FB group, as well as our Facebook page, were quick to share their memories.
Lynn Roberts said: “Even though I know they no longer work, I’m still a little scared they might suddenly spray me.” Sheila Murrphy said: “It’s been a long time since I have seen this on.”
Pat Roberts wrote: “Proud to say I have [seen them on].” Ste Benno commented: “Even though they haven’t worked in years, I still panic when I walk over it that it will suddenly turn on and spray me.”
Julian Gill posted: “Very cool.” Joanne Norton wrote: “When my twin boys were little, I’d put them in swim shorts, take towels in bag and let them run through fountains and they had so much fun and loved meeting their nan in town for fun in the fountains and ice cream.”
Vic Toria said: “I haven’t [seen them on]. I feel I’ve missed out. Everytime I’ve been they’ve not been on.” Lynne Sampson said: “My father in law ran through these every Wednesday or Saturday when he was out having a few pints. He loved it like a big kid laughing. Wish he was here to still do it now xx.”
Susan Jayne Crispin-Harding posted: “In the summer I use to love to sit while I was eating my baked potato from the food van by there and watch everyone’s kids run through the fountains. They were having a ball. It was like the local water park.” Raquel Riley commented: “I loved it, as a child, mum would go mad because she had to go home on a bus to get me more clothes.”
Jen McGee posted: “The night Liverpool brought the Champions Leauge cup home in 2005, ran through, slipped and split my hand open, got the scar to remind me.”
Betty Bowers said: “I was there 12 years ago with my great granddaughter who was four or five at the time and she wanted to run through because there were other children running through, so told her to run straight through and I’d meet her at the other side. I ran round to the other side and she comes not straight through but where all the water is shooting up. I said ‘babe I told you to run right through’ and she said ‘Nan I did but my eyes were shut’. I had to take her to River Island (dripping wet) for new clothes. Funny now but not then.”
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Betty Williams posted: “I remember those days.” K Eightt Watty said: “Always had to bring a spare change of clothes and a towel for my kid.”
Susan Rae commented: “I’ve done it a few times is brilliant.” Carl Stanley wrote: “It was hilarious watching the kids run through them.”
And Frank Shelbourne wrote: “I did it once to impress the grandkids, I fell over right on top of the of the pipes, I was absolutely soaked, the grandkids couldn’t stop laughing all the way home in the car.”
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