After nearly 20 years, Te Awamutu’s Weeping Fountain is weeping again – bringing an intriguing piece of local history back to life in a sustainable way.
The fountain was officially reopened on Friday at a ceremony in Te Awamutu and District War Memorial Park, hosted by Waipā District Council and the NZ Returned and Services Association (RSA).
Mayor Mike Pettit, councillors and Te Awamutu RSA president Daniel van der Hulst were among those who marked the occasion, with a plaque unveiled to celebrate the restoration.
Council completed $79,000 worth of repairs and improvements to the fountain, also known as the Peace Fountain, including installing a recirculating pump system and adding lighting to make it visible at night. Water now spouts up from the top of the three-metre-high fountain, pooling in a shallow bowl before cascading over its sides.
The water was switched off in 2006 to conserve the town supply. The fountain now operates as a closed-loop system, recycling the same water rather than drawing fresh water continuously from the town supply.
Mayor Pettit said the fountain is a recognisable landmark for Te Awamutu, and he’s delighted to see it flowing again.
“Te Awamutu people have strong feelings about this place - and they should. It's been part of the town's story for 70 years. Bringing the fountain back is a small thing in some ways, but it's a reminder that this is a place where Te Awamutu comes together. The recirculating system means we can keep it flowing sustainably, and I hope people come and enjoy it.”
RSA president Daniel van der Hulst says the restoration is also about respecting the history.
“A war memorial is about remembering, but it’s also about making sure future generations understand what happened and the price that was paid. This park belongs to the whole community, and places like this give us somewhere to remember the people from Te Awamutu who served, those who came home and those who didn’t.”
The fountain is one of the original features of Te Awamutu and District War Memorial Park, which was opened in 1955 by Prime Minister Sidney Holland, to remember those impacted by war. The new, donated plaque connects people to the Pacific War from 1941–45.
The fountain was built by Te Awamutu Borough Council Parks Supervisor Alfred Smart.
