Something in the water in Harrogate
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As Harrogate prepares for the arrival of the UCI Road World Cycling Championships, a new illuminated sculpture has been unveiled in the gardens. And, two weeks later, 36 wells within the park - together with the imposing Harlow Hill water tower - will be lit with light shafts to complete a 3D art installation, which will be seen in the night sky for miles around.
Called Harrogate 1571, the work has been commissioned by Harrogate Borough Council as part of a wrap-around cultural programme for the UCI World Cycling Championships.
Whilst over 100 wells are set within Harrogate, Bogs Field in the Valley Gardens is the source of 36 mineral springs. The waters are Magmatic or Plutonic in origin, and never existed as rain, flowing deep beneath the earth for 20,000 years before surfacing through vertical shafts in the strata.
Harrogate International Festivals chief executive Sharon Canavar says: “Our beautiful town owes its fame and fortune to the large number of mineral water wells that converge in a relatively small area. For our part, we have taken the waters that ‘made’ Harrogate as our inspiration, and Harrogate 1571 is a unique celebration of our spa heritage, demonstrating that there’s definitely something in the water here in Harrogate!”
This is one of our most exciting projects to date, and to reach this stage has taken a lot of hard work and the co-operation and support of a number of organisations, namely Harrogate Borough Council, Spirit of Harrogate and Yorkshire Water.
“The installation has been brought to life thanks to the skills of Eddie Roberts from Cult-Ore, and James Bawn from Element 3 Design. James - who is renowned for bringing Emley Mast and the Shard to light - is also working with us to produce the lighting of the springs and water tower as part of the finale weekend of the UCI.”
Richard Cooper, the leader of Harrogate Borough Council, adds: “In the short timescale, the artwork has been in the Valley Gardens it has become a real talking point.”
(Jim Evans)
