The refurbished El Alamein Fountain in Kings Cross, closed since 20 January 2012, was reopened by the Mayor on 27 July.
Workmen readying the site for the ceremony screwed black metal posts (known as bollards) into the brick tiles around the Fountain. Sydney City Council says it has temporary approval from the Heritage Council for this harsh measure. The brick tiles were specified by Ilmar Berzins, the designer of the Fitzroy Gardens and Australia's celebrated landscape architect, and were made uniquely for the site by Bulli Brickworks (now closed). Their square shape complements the hexagonal of the Woodward and Taranto designed Fountain and the Berzins hexagonal garden beds. Park and fountain complement each other and are a high point of Sydney modernist design.
Council's "temporary" measure destroys the Fountain vista and is downright ugly. How long till Council removes these ugly posts?