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I wonder what life of the plant’s employees had been like. I wonder what harsh labour meant, harsh but noble as they were entrusted with the supply of drinking water to their fellow citizens, plus in a spectacular scenery. Let’s remember that Ciarda Roșie, the area where the plant is located, was not part of Timisoara until 1960s.
From the museum park, you can see all the other buildings that were part of the plant, but not part of the museum complex: the dwelling house behind the pumping house, the iron removal room II, behind the iron removal room, and the transformer, behind the group of fountains.
If the iron removal room II and the transformer appeared following the evolution in water needs and the technical developments, on the other hand, the dwelling house is part of the first evolution stage of the plant, being built between 1913 and 1914.
Clearly, the plant’s story is strongly linked to numerous life stories, stories of the people who worked in the plant and of their families. The head of the plant, Lakos Sandor, was one of the first employees. And one of his daughters, Margareta, was born here, in one of the lodgings, on December 24th 1923. Margareta who is now 100 plus years old described Stan Vidrighin as a soulful man. He was demanding and strict when tackling work stuff, but he was warm and friendly with his employees, ready to support them in day-to-day life trials. When Margareta and her sister, Iren, reached school age, their father found himself in a difficult position as the city was 5km away and it was almost deserted around the plant. He could not have allowed his daughters to walk this much every day. Not sending them to school was not an option either. Regretfully, he made the decision to resign and to move his family to the city. The Director’s reply was loud and clear: “There’s no way I can afford to lose a man like you!” And Lakos Sandor stayed. In exchange, his girls were dropped off to school and brought back home, to the plant, by means of the director’s private coach. In wintertime, they commuted by Vidrighin’s sleigh. “It was a black sleigh drawn by two white horses, like a dream. It’s like I can see it now entering through the gates” Margareta recalled as she was one of the first visitors of the Water Museum.
The story of the park is also strongly connected to the life of plant employees. The parks is now a green and bright oasis within a turbulent urban life. Along the pathway which connects the entrance door to the “castle door”, that is the entrance to the iron removal room, you can see a series of tall plane trees, famous for their resilience. Other tree species that enchant our senses all year long are: linden trees, corkscrew willow trees and black locust trees. Conifers dominate the central sector of the park. And it is not by chance that fruit trees are also present. Plant employees used to pick their fruits and share them. Unless their kids were there first to pick fruits. As there was also a playground for the children who lived in the dwelling house together with their parents.
Last but not least, the premises of the museum are bounded to Calea Urseni and Vasile Zbegan street junction by a section of a valuable historical fence, made out of bush-hammered stone and metal grille. The preserved iron fittings display Secession’s symbolism for both austerity and finesse, which all buildings exhibit by using simplified geometric or floral decorations.