INDIGO Shire Council reacted quickly last week to address outrage by some community members about the installation of an ultra-modern stainless steel drinking fountain located near the Beechworth kiosk.
Town talk about the 'bubbler' saw an outpouring of comments on social media including those who supported a non-heritage look bubbler in the town's heritage overlay.
In council's weekly newsletter emailed to the community last Friday, Indigo Shire Council chief executive officer Trevor Ierino said council had "got it wrong".
"We agree with the recent feedback received, it looks out of place, and we will change it," he said in the communication.
Mr Ierino said council had sought modern day features for wheelchair accessibility, refilling water bottles and water for pets that communities now demanded rather than one with a traditional heritage design.
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Beechworth History and Heritage Society (BHHS) president Elizabeth Mason said last week that a drinking fountain could have been designed for that access with the town's heritage values in mind.
Ms Mason told the Advertiser this week that the society was delighted with the outcome to replace the bubbler with a heritage designed one and congratulated Indigo Shire Council for recognising the importance of heritage in Beechworth and across the shire.
"Our livelihoods and economy are based on authentic heritage where it is critical it be embraced and respected," she said.
"Generations of families and community members have worked tirelessly to maintain our historic integrity and for some community members to be blasé and ambivalent about heritage aspects even over a tiny water bubbler shows a misguided sense of who we are.
"If you move into a charming village town abundant with authentic history, you don’t set about destroying that.
"We are all just playing our own small part in the big picture of history, and we should be considerate of future generations who may want to experience Beechworth's unique, extraordinary and intact heritage."
Beechworth's Sandra Williams told the Advertiser that council's apology and advice had been welcome but the original action undertaken had caused unnecessary conflict and angst in the community.
"There was never any disrespect intended for disabled people by those who highly valued the integrity of the historic precinct," she said.
The fifth generation Beechworthian said a win-win situation was now possible.
"We trust any future work of this nature will be thoroughly thought through in the first instance and will be carried out with transparency," she said.
