Soap bubble blow silences new musical fountain

Kwun Tong’s HK$50 million musical fountain which opened last Thursday after years in the planning has already been closed to the public, over fears that the water has been contaminated – with soap.

Critics have dismissed the harbourfront feature as an outrageously expensive “white elephant” project, but the government insists it’s “a leisure hot spot and will enrich public enjoyment”.

But by Monday, nobody was enjoying the kaleidoscopic beams and performances of musical masterpieces, because of “suspected contamination of water with liquid soap”.

On Saturday, a comedian had treated himself to a bubble bath at the fountain, as his web TV channel, 100Most, mocked the attraction’s hefty price tag.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department said there is now a “great deal of foam” in the fountain’s system and the water has to be drained so it can be thoroughly cleansed.

No date was given for the fountain to be re-opened. It had already been partially closed the day after it opened, when some of the tiles were found to be broken.

Kwun Tong district councillor Edith Leung, from the Democratic Party, said she understood the comedian’s intentions, but she didn’t exactly agree with his stunt.

“I think somebody’s trying to draw public attention to the misuse of public funds regarding the fountain. But of course taking a bath in the area is not something to be encouraged,” Leung said.

But she said she has concerns about the fountain’s durability, questioning whether the HK$1.1 million earmarked each year for its maintenance will be sufficient in light of the problems that have already surfaced.

The fountain was approved by Kwun Tong District Council in 2013 – at a time when the council was still dominated by the pro-government camp.

Pro-democracy councillors and an activist tried to get the project scrapped, including through the courts, but they were unsuccessful.