PelhamToday received the following letter to the editor from a reader regarding the design of municipal water towers:
Is it just me, or are there others who feel that the current design of municipal water towers, like the one pictured in the Jan. 29 issue of PelhamToday, is ugly? To me, they resemble huge, inverted toilet plungers.
Some, like the one in Fonthill, are festooned with bristling communication receivers and transmitters, sticking out like spikes on a barrel cactus.
I first saw the design while travelling through the U.S. south some years ago. They have been showing up in parts of Ontario in recent years, some replacing the familiar old steel structures of years back — like the one recently demolished in Port Colborne, my hometown, although nothing has been built so far to take its place.
I’m assuming there must be some practical advantage in erecting these concrete-clad monsters. Perhaps it’s cost. It certainly can’t because they’re easy on the eyes. They stand out like sore thumbs, particularly when placed in urban settings, as is the case in Fonthill.
Fortunately, one or two still exist in the region. The old water tower in Welland’s south end is a particular standout — large and squat and... just plain attractive, I feel, proudly asserting its presence in the community.
I just can’t say the same for what qualifies as new.
Bill Eluchok
Welland
