Vanishing fountains

Civic bodies build fountains mainly to decorate certain areas. Possibly the oldest fountain in Dubai was at the Al Nasr Square in Deira. Many more fountains were built in various parks, hotels, business centres, golf and racing courses after 1990.

Water joy

When I first came herein 1984, I saw people and seagulls enjoying at the fountain in Al Nasr Square. From 1989, I also saw smaller waders such as the common sandpiper, green sandpiper, pied wagtail, yellow wagtail, warblers and spotted flycatcher, and UAE birds such as the house sparrow, crested lark, palm dove, graceful warbler, domestic pigeons, and kestrel.

Today, we also see the house crow, common mynah, pied mynah, red-vented bulbul, rose-tinged parakeet, alexandrine parakeet and white-eared bulbul.

Transformation

The massive structural transformation of Dubai means these spots have to go. Among the first fountains to go are the two at Al Nasr Square area and the recent casualty was the one at Al Diyafa.