HOMELights, Colour, Action! in City Walk
The Canberra Times Fountain by Robert Woodward was commissioned by Federal Capital Press in 1976 and installed in City Walk, Civic as a gift to the people of Canberra in 1979. Fast forward to the 21st Century and technology has created numerous more possibilities than were available in the late 1970’s.
Canberra CBD Limited, has further gifted to the City 16 new LED coloured lights within the Fountain. It represents an ongoing legacy of the organisation’s contribution towards achieving an attractive, safe, clean, dynamic, vital, liveable Canberra City Centre.
Canberra CBD Limited CEO, Steve Gregory, says “sadly, the artist who created the Canberra Times Fountain died in 2010. We hope he would have approved of our colourful addition to his work. It will give the people of Canberra renewed interest in his fountain.”
Born in 1923, Woodward, the artist, received his technical education in Granville and Sydney Technical College. He joined the Army and studied technical subjects. Woodward attended Sydney University under the rehabilitation scheme and studied architecture going on to work for Alvar Aalto in Finland. His thoughts on design and general approach to architecture are well regarded. Upon his return to Australia his fountain and sculptural work included the also famous El Alamein fountain in Fitzroy Gardens, Kings Cross,Sydney.
The new lighting enables a number of exciting possibilities including bathing the fountain in single coloured light for special events such as St Patricks Day, light shows, patterns and special effects. The Fountain has been initially programmed to provide a shimmering silver effect to the fountain with coloured light shows every 15 minutes. Steve Gregory says “we want to introduce Canberrans to the full range of possibilities the new lighting creates.We are starting off with a bit of teaser but we will ensure that through programming, we keep the new lighting fresh and interesting”.
Steve Gregory explains that ,”the new lighting also serves to entice locals and tourists further down City Walk at night time and open up the public to all the delights of City Walk. There is so much public art along City Walk between Garema Place and Binara Street, people should be more willing to explore.”
“The southern end of City Walk between Binara Street and Coranderrk Street also hosts Casino Canberra, Crowne Plaza Hotel, The Royal Theatre and the National Convention Centre. These venues are a key part of Canberra night life and the walk down to these venues has just become a whole lot more interesting,” says Steve Gregory.
View all the photos at our gallery.
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