What was once the site of old gas works, used as a car park for two decades, Millennium Town Park in Jersey’s capital – St Helier – underwent a major transformation in 2011 to bring new life to the town. After receiving over 16,400 handwritten signatures from the locals in favour of the idea to regenerate the area, the process began to achieve this beautiful park with distinctive character and facilities. Ocmis were approached to design and install two water features: a captivating 24-jet dry plaza alongside an ambitious rain curtain display.   

Standing out as one of the most unique water features we have had the privilege of designing, the rain curtain display is sure to catch the eye of anyone passing by as well as create a fun, interactive feature for all to enjoy. Spanning 8m and 3.5m high, the top of the feature is supplied by a submersible pump in an underground chamber, filling a hidden channel above before cascading down to create a stunning rainfall display. Water is then collected in a channel below before traveling back to the plantroom creating a seamless and mesmerizing effect. 

The dry plaza consists of 24 individually controllable jets, enhanced with RGB LED lighting making the streams of water stand out bold throughout both daytime and when the evenings begin to draw in with vibrant colour. With a maximum height of 2m the jets can perform a variety of different shows, programmed to change sequence throughout the day on a scheduler, giving endless possibilities. Though not labelled as an interactive feature, all water passed through the feature is filtered and treated to make sure that the public can safely enjoy, as these features are extremely popular for children to play in, as well as remain visually pleasing and fully operational. 

Ocmis also installed an irrigation system to ensure the establishment and ongoing vitality of the high-quality planted areas, shrubs, and meadows. The rainwater harvesting system was implemented to enhance sustainability, resulting in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly water supply. The water distribution spans over 5,000m of underground pipe work and over 7,200m of drip irrigation tube, electronically timed throughout the day, providing each area with the precise amount of water needed through driplines, sprinklers, and tree necklaces throughout the dry summer months. 

The developers encountered several challenges when installing this feature due to the site’s history of heavy contamination. To address this, an impermeable geosynthetic clay liner was laid to isolate the contaminated soil. Above this liner, a drainage layer was installed, followed by clean soil at varying depths. This design ensured that all rainwater was collected by the drainage layer before it could cross-contaminate with the polluted ground below. The collected rainwater was then channelled to an underground storage tank, constructed within the relined former tar tank of the well works. 

St. Helier has greatly benefited from the area’s regeneration. The park has become a focal point for celebrations and community events, while the water features attract both locals and tourists seeking fun and relaxation.