By STUART DYE
Reopening the Mission Bay fountain was a special occasion for 8-year-old Greta Forsythe - it was built to honour her great-grandfather.
The fountain has had a $150,000 restoration since heavy rain in February flooded electrical circuits.
Workers patched and sealed the Sicilian marble facing, replaced the switchboard, installed new lights and replaced 2000 of the pool tiles.
Greta, who was chosen to hit the switch to bring the fountain back to life, admitted she was excited.
But she kept her cool for the occasion.
"I liked turning on the switch, but I got a bit wet," said the St Cuthbert's School pupil.
Mayor John Banks wasn't quite so able to keep his composure as he compered the reopening.
Reading from his speech he said: "They've replaced over 2000 of the 'torkees' tiles. I guess 'torkees' must be a colour."
Many in the crowd were able to work out that the colour was "turquoise".
The fountain was a gift to Auckland City in 1950 from Eliot Davis, who dedicated it to the memory of his son Trevor Moss Davis.
Trevor Davis was a director of the firm Hancock and Company, and was president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce in the 1940s.
It was designed by architect George Tole and created in eight months by sculptor Richard Gross - the man behind the Domain Gates and the monument at One Tree Hill.
Three generations of the Davis family were at the opening yesterday - Greta, her mother, Fiona Hall, and her grandmother, Trevor Davis' daughter, Sue Holden.
"He died when I was just 9 so it's a very special day for our family to have him remembered," said Mrs Holden.
The work included installing a wind speed indicator to cut off water jets so bystanders would not be sprayed in high winds.
New Zealand
