The fountain is a gift to the citizens of London from the Blackburn estate, given by the late Marjorie Blackburn in memory of her husband Walter J. Blackburn. Her Worship Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best received the gift from Richard Costley-White, grandson of the donor. Other members of the Blackburn family in attendance included Walter and Marjorie Blackburn’s daughter Susan Blackburn, sister of the late Martha Blackburn, who was Mr. Costley-White’s mother.
“This is not only a tribute to my grandfather and our family history in London, but also stands in gratitude to the visionaries, architects and engineers who built it," said Costley-White. "We are particularly indebted to my grandmother’s dear friend Nancy Poole who served as the catalyst in making the fountain a reality.”
“This is a great day for London, as we celebrate the collective contributions of the Blackburn family,” said Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best. “The Blackburn name is indeed synonymous with London, as we recall the first newspaper established here by Josiah Blackburn more than 150 years ago, and through this unique Fountain at the Forks, the family’s legacy will live on for future generations of Londoners.”
Richard Costley-White’s great, great grandfather, Josiah Blackburn, purchased the weekly Canadian Free Press in 1852. Three years later, it became a daily publication and was renamed The London Free Press, and for 150 years, several generations of the Blackburn family helped to forge London’s vibrant future. As such, it is most fitting the gifted Blackburn Fountain is situated at the Forks of the Thames, where our city’s history was also founded in 1855.
Design of the Walter J. Blackburn Fountain began in 2005 and spanned two years, with construction completed in 2008. It is modelled after a jet d’Eau in Geneva, Switzerland, with one large jet to propel water 30 metres, as well as six smaller jets. The result is an impressive addition to London's landscape, which enhances our community’s park system and downtown atmosphere.
