Carter Fountain facts for kids
The Carter Fountain is a special water fountain in Wellington Harbour, New Zealand. It's about 150 meters out from Oriental Bay. The fountain was put in place in 1973. It was named after Hugh Carter, who gave the money for it. Sadly, he passed away just days after the fountain first started working.
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About the Carter Fountain
The Carter Fountain was a gift to the city of Wellington. It came from a local resident and businessman named Hugh Carter. He wanted it to be a tribute to his parents, George and Ella Carter. It was also a gift to the people of Wellington.
A special plaque was put on the nearby band rotunda. It says: "Carter Fountain. In Memory. This fountain was donated to the people of Wellington by the family of the late George and Ella Carter, who had a great love of their city. 16th March 1973".
Hugh Carter was inspired by another famous fountain. He saw the Jet d'Eau fountain in Geneva in the early 1960s. Building the Carter Fountain started in 1972. It cost about NZ$75,000. When the project was announced, some people had different opinions. Some didn't like how it looked. Others worried it might get in the way of rowing. Some thought the money could be used for other things.
The fountain officially opened on 16 March 1973. Just a few days later, a sad event happened. Hugh Carter had his boat, Kualani, in the harbour for the opening. He disappeared from his boat on the night of 20/21 March. His body was found in the harbour on 21 March. He was 55 years old.
The Wellington Harbour Board first took care of the fountain. After some changes in local government in 1989, the Wellington City Council now looks after it.
How the Fountain Works
The Carter Fountain can shoot water 16 meters into the air! Sometimes, local people complained about salt spray from the fountain. So, a special wind sensor was put on the nearby band rotunda. This sensor stops the fountain from working if the wind is too strong. This usually happens when the wind speed is around 8 or 10 knots. The band rotunda also holds the electrical parts for the fountain that are on land.
An electrician checks the fountain every month. They use a row boat to get to it. Twice a year, divers go underwater to check the pump. Taking care of the fountain costs about NZ$45,000 each year. About NZ$20,000 of that is for electricity. In 2009, replacing the pump cost NZ$29,000. The fountain was not working for half a year during that time.
Eight floodlights are used to light up the fountain at night. They can also change its colour. In 2013, the old halogen lights were replaced with new LED lights. This cost NZ$21,000. The new LED lights last much longer, up to 50,000 hours. The old ones only lasted about 2,000 hours. The new lights can also be controlled remotely.
The fountain usually runs up to four times a day:
- Monday to Thursday: 07:30–09:00, noon–14:00, 16:30–18:00, 19:30–22:30
- Friday: 07:30–09:00, noon–14:00, 16:30–18:00, 19:30–23:00
- Saturday and Sunday: 08:30–16:30, 19:00–23:00
