Canterbury Rotary Club’s unique gift to the people of Canterbury, marking 100 years’ service to the local community, is taking shape in the heart of the city in readiness for its unveiling at the end of the month.
The Point, a 3.5 metre tall Portland stone and stainless-steel column, was conceived as a unique gift to the people of Canterbury to mark our club’s centenary in 2022 and houses a water bottle refilling station. It’s anticipated The Point will help save thousands of plastic bottles from going into waste, provide free drinking water to visitors to Canterbury, and help revitalise the City centre by providing a new tourist attraction. Through Rotary’s global network, we also hope The Point will encourage others in the UK and around the world to do something similar.
A key feature of The Point is a polished stainless-steel collar which visitors can see through, and through which they can take photographs. Above this, the column is inscribed with a quote from Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress: “Behold ye, how these crystal streams do glide, to comfort Pilgrim’s by the highway-side“; below the collar is the water bottle filling mechanism.
The costs to design, build, and commission the point (around £150,000) have come entirely from generous private donations made specifically for this purpose, or donations of goods and services ‘in kind’.
Stephen Thompson, project manager for The Point and President during our centenary year, said: “The core of the idea came from the Club’s late Past President, Roger Bickerton. Roger recalled that before the Second World War, a drinking water fountain and horse trough was located in the historic Longmarket”. He continued: “During the design phase COVID-19 struck and the original concept of The Point housing a drinking water fountain was changed to a water bottle filling point. Whilst The Point is modern and forward-looking, it is also a nod to the history of the Longmarket.” Stephen pays tribute to Canterbury City Council for its advice and support throughout the project.
The designer of The Point, Andrew Clague, a Canterbury Rotarian and local architect, had the task of combining the elements of the design brief. These included: original architecture, practicality, the need to be ‘green’ – and to reflect the centuries-old association of Canterbury and pilgrimage. Andrew, a director of James Clague Architects Ltd., said: “The innovation of the design is the unusual large hole in the stone column. Through this interactive hole, unique photographs of a memorable visit to Canterbury can be taken by visitors.” Andrew continued: “Hopefully The Point will be a contemporary, fun meeting place as well as serving free Canterbury water to quench visitors’ thirsts”.
Our current Rotary President, Maxine Blades, added: “In wanting to make a gift to the people of Canterbury to mark the Club’s Centenary, Club members decided it must be practical, resonate with the city’s historic past, have ‘green credentials’, and be artistically attractive. I believe The Point successfully ticks all those boxes”. Maxine continued: “By providing a water bottle filling point, our Club is also helping deliver the wider Rotary ideal of fostering harmony between communities and the environment”.
The Point will be unveiled at the end of the month by the King’s Lord-Lieutenant, The Lady Colgrain, who will be joined in a short unveiling ceremony by the Lord Mayor of Canterbury and the Lady Mayoress.
Picture: An artist’s impression of The Point. Picture credit: James Clague Architects Ltd. /The Rotary Club of Canterbury.
