Diana’s Memorial Runs Dry

LONDON – The on-again, off-again granite fountain paying tribute to the late Princess Diana is off until spring.
The Princess Diana Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park is closed to the public until May 1 for renovation, according to Royal Parks, the agency that manages the site.
Queen Elizabeth officially opened the $6.5 million water sculpture last July; the design, emblematic of Diana’s life, encouraged visitors to splash and play in the water flow. However, soon after the water came on, problems developed.
Concerns over drainage and visitors falling on slippery surfaces led to a temporary closure within a month of the official dedication. The fountain came on again in August after some alterations, with park officials noting the need for additional work.
Royal Parks closed the area to the public again on Jan. 10 for site work, according to the agency. Part of the renovation includes the installation of thicker rye-grass turf usually found in sports stadiums; the new sod will take more wear from the up to 5,000 tourists per day that visit the fountain. Other pathways and wheelchair access will also be added.
“Following the reopening in August 2004, this is the first practical opportunity we have had to do this important work,” says Greg McErlean, Royal Parks’ head of major projects. “The program of work has required expert input from soil scientists, stonemasons, landscape designers and many others. The memorial has had its problems in the last six months, but this work will ensure that it is truly a special place of relaxation and remembrance for years to come.”
The fountain is the only public memorial in London to the late princess, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997. Her burial site is at Althorp Park, north of London.