HARDWICK – I wonder if anyone would like to know the truth about the Hardwick Water Fountain. Other than a niece of mine, not a soul has contacted me to discuss [it].
courtesy photo
I did go to the town office to speak to Opie about this as my niece had contacted me asking if I knew what was going on. The manager had no time for me and I’m sure he already had his mind made up.
As to the truth: after my father’s death, my mother, Doris Hill asked me if I would help with having a water fountain built in memory of my dad, William S. Hill (not to be confused with William F. Hill), and that she would pay the entire bill.
As you may or may not know, my dad gave many, many years of service as chair of the town select men and president of the village trustees, as well as his being involved in numerous other groups. So I talked to Ray Riel and we put the tub/basin up. Then I found and purchased a fountainhead, installed it and took care of it and any required maintenance, for years.
Then, as has been mentioned, some punks did all kinds of pranks to it, which stopped the fountain from working. I removed the fountainhead and was on my way to having it repaired when one of the Town’s so-called upper crust talked me into letting him take it in to be repaired. Weeks later I met up with him and asked him where the fountainhead was. He told me sorry, but I seem to have lost it and I don’t know where it is.
So I began to search for a new fountainhead. While I was looking, no one bothered to say a word to me, but I learned that the basin had been filled in to make a flower garden, which it was never meant to be. It looked nice for a week or two then it became overcome with weeds and trash.
Sometime later, one of the town’s help took it upon himself to clean it out, found a new fountainhead, installed and took care of it. I’m not sure what became of him but I guess the town couldn’t be bothered, so let’s fill it in for a wonderful town garden.
As to having to drain it once a year, the basin had a drain that got plugged due to being filled in with dirt the first time. For some reason no one wanted to take time to clean that out.
Now a lot of folks want their name on it though they have no real part in it.
It was built as a water fountain in honor and memory of my father, William S. Hill and it should remain and be maintained as such.
Now in my eighties, I’m not able to do much any more, so many will tell about the
wonderful things they will do or have done and pay no matter to why the water fountain
was built there in the first place, and now they want a plaque with their name put on it.
I would rather see it torn down and have the area seeded, and grass in its place than turned into a flower garden, but nobody asks my family or me what we would want.
Stephen A. Hill sent this opinion to The Hardwick Gazette on December 9. He now lives in Wolcott .
