Re: Sheffield had a water-fountain/sculpture thing...
As an increasingly decrepit ex-Boltonian, I can vaguely remember the two water features in the town hall square - basically giant octagonal concrete paddling pools with a couple of water jets in the middle, and I can remember splashing around in them as a wee nipper.
(in fact... http://www.bolton.org.uk/fountains.html)
Saldy (?), they've long since been demolished, though the stepped-pyramid fountains either side of the town hall are still present. And in searching for photos of the old water features, the second link in the search results indicates that people are still very much behaving as they ever did...
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/15238897.Pranksters_fill_town_centre_fountain_with_bubbles/