The long-awaited return of a water fountain to King George Square in Brisbane CBD has been delayed by more than four years.
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This time, it’s the $944 million Brisbane Metro project responsible for the delay.
Brisbane City Council has been budgeting millions of dollars towards bringing fountains back to Brisbane CBD since the 2015-16 budget.
Fountains were turned off and removed from the city in the early 2000s because of severe drought.
While three fountains have been restored, E.E McCormack Place, Emma Miller Place and the Mooney Memorial Fountain, no new fountains have been built.
The council has proposed several fountains and then rescinded their plans, including plans for installations at Sandgate and Forest Lake.
To date, it has remained committed to a proposed fountain in the Brisbane River and King George Square.
In February, the council admitted the river fountain was delayed due to construction at Queen’s Wharf but was going ahead with a design competition for the fountain in King George Square.
In the 2018-19 budget, the money allocated was again pushed back.
The council has now confirmed the King George Square fountain project has been postponed until after the Brisbane Metro is completed.
That project is expected to begin operating in 2023.
“As part of the metro project, a tunnel will be constructed under Adelaide Street from North Quay to connect with the bus station underneath King George Square,” a council spokesman said.
“The construction activities for the metro would have impacted the proposed water feature.”
The company's short-listed in the design competition were advised about the project’s delay.
The council’s public and active transport chairman Adrian Schrinner said Adelaide Street could at times be partially closed and the Adelaide Street side of King George Square would also likely be impacted during the tunnelling work for the transport project.
Cr Schrinner said there were no plans to redesign or tear up King George Square to deliver the Brisbane Metro.
Opposition councillor Jared Cassidy said the council was using the metro project to sink the promised fountain.
“It’s clear Cr Quirk just arrogantly promises these things off the top of his head,” Cr Cassidy said.
“The companies who tendered for the fountain have probably wasted their time, energy and money because Graham Quirk doesn’t do his homework.”
