The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) has announced that it will start a project next week to repair and renovate the fountain in the square outside the city’s Catholic Cathedral, as well as its surrounding facilities, as they are worn out after having been in use for over 20 years.
The bureau said that the whole project, which will be carried out in three phases, is scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year.
The area outside the Catholic Cathedral is officially known as Largo da Sé (大堂前地), which comprises a vehicular street and a small square.
The square, with a fountain in it, is used as a sitting out area as it is equipped with several benches.
The bureau made the announcements in a statement on Friday.
The statement noted that the fountain and flowerbeds in Largo da Sé, as well as the surrounding facilities, have been in use for over 20 years as they were built in 2004, because of which they have aged and are worn out.
The statement underlined that the bureau previously carried out many repairs to the facilities, but the repairs have still been unable to stop the facilities from ageing and wearing out.
Below the square is a construction structure with its three sides built along two sloping alleys and a short alley connecting them. There are two other fountains near the square, built on the structure’s wall at the corners of the short alley with the two sloping alleys, as well as murals made of Portuguese blue-and-white porcelain on the structure’s wall.
In addition to the fountain and flowerbeds, the upcoming renovation will cover the two other fountains in the short alley and the murals on the structure’s wall.
The statement said that water supply pipes of the three fountains have become blocked due to rusting, resulting in failure to spout water, while the three fountains’ pools have been affected by water leakage. Moreover, the statement said, the flowerbeds and murals have also been affected by different levels of damages.
Consequently, the statement said, the bureau has decided to renovate all the facilities in a way that will keep their original appearance, style and materials intact.
The renovation project, which will be carried out in three phases, will start on Wednesday next week, the statement said, adding that the whole project is scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year.
People sit next to the fountain in the square outside the Catholic Cathedral yesterday. – Photo: Tony Wong
