In Drohobych, to mark the 935th anniversary of the city, the fountain in the middle of the lake in the Park of Culture and Recreation has been brought back into operation. On 10 September, the water feature, which had been out of action for decades, was restarted and jets of water rose above the refurbished lake.
The fountain in the city park was built back in the summer of 1980 during the Soviet period, and its opening was timed to coincide with the Summer Olympic Games. At that time, the park was one of the most popular leisure spots for Drohobych residents: there were fairground rides, concerts were held, and the lake with its fountain was one of the main attractions. Over time, the lake silted up and needed cleaning, and the fountain fell into disrepair.
In 2026, on the instructions of Mayor Taras Kuchma, municipal services began a comprehensive restoration of the lake and fountain. First, the water was drained from the lake and the bottom was cleaned. According to the Department of Municipal Economy, more than 250 tipper lorry loads of silt, mud and rubbish were removed — in total around 2,000 cubic metres. The bulk of this work was carried out by employees of the Municipal Management Service utility, while specialists from the State Emergency Service assisted with draining the water.
At the same time, specialists from Drohobychvodokanal utility spent about three months on the technical restoration of the fountain. Old metal pipes were replaced with plastic ones, the fountain structures were repaired, a new pumping station was installed and modern electrical equipment was fitted to control it. A new water main branch was laid from Bohdan Lepkyi Street to fill the lake, and a water metering unit was installed.
The department notes that the work could have been completed earlier, but was temporarily suspended after local activists appealed to the State Environmental Inspectorate. Following an inspection, no violations were found, so the restoration of the fountain was resumed. The city council stresses that such unfounded appeals by individuals can significantly delay the implementation of projects that are important for the community.
On 4 September, filling of the cleaned lake began. On the same day, a test run of the fountain was carried out: to check the system for leaks, a tanker lorry was used to supply water under pressure. The test was successful, and over six days the lake was brought up to the required level for the fountain to operate autonomously. On 10 September, the fountain was officially commissioned.
The head of Drohobychvodokanal utility, Roman Shahala, reported that the fountain will operate daily from 9:00 to 20:00. Mayor Taras Kuchma emphasises that the restoration of the fountain is only part of a broader plan to revitalise the city park, which many Drohobych residents remember from their childhood.
We wanted to revive a place that holds dear memories for many Drohobych residents. So that people who remember this park from their childhood or youth can once again come here, stroll, relax and bring their children. The city is developing, but today we are living in wartime conditions and cannot always carry out a large volume of work at once. That is why we are moving forward step by step, setting priorities and doing what we can do right now, emphasises Taras Kuchma.
According to the mayor, it is important to unite the efforts of the authorities, the community, businesses and concerned residents. Among the examples of such cooperation in the city is, in particular, the refurbishment of the entrance stele to Drohobych, implemented through joint efforts.
Work in the park is still under way. Municipal workers are tidying up the area around the lake and planning to repair the fence and restore the jetty. There are also plans to install lighting and other landscaping elements to make the space more attractive for recreation for residents and visitors to Drohobych.
The city council expressed its gratitude to the employees of Drohobychvodokanal utility for the main package of work to restore the fountain and its technical system, to the staff of the Municipal Management Service utility for cleaning the lake and tidying the area, and to the Department of Municipal Economy for organising and coordinating the process. Special thanks were extended to specialists from the Drohobych District Electricity Network of Lvivoblenergo PJSC, the State Emergency Service, drivers of specialised machinery and all the experts who contributed to the refurbishment of the city lake.