The reclamation and restoration of Fountain Walk was one of the founding efforts of what became Friends of the Fountain and Walk. The historic walkway above and alongside the Sutter-Solano Tunnel was part of famed architect John Galen Howard’s original design, along with the Fountain at The Circle and the surrounding balustrade, for what would have been the grand entrance to...
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Friends and neighbors: A few updates to share about goings on at the Fountain at The Circle and Fountain Walk: Bollard repairs/improvements — An accident during a rainstorm in February led to two of the bollards that surround and protect the fountain being knocked over by a vehicle. The fountain was not damaged. The two broken bollards have been replaced,...
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Hello Friends of the Fountain and Walk Volunteers, This Saturday, April 1 is the first Saturday of the month, and we look forward to volunteer day at the Fountain! The weather looks like it will be wonderful. Please join us any time from 9 to 11, if you are available, for some sweeping, weeding, general clean-up and comradery. We can...
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Friends and neighbors: If you’ve passed by the fountain in the past few days, you may have noticed that a pair of the concrete bollards around the perimeter of the center island have been knocked down. This is the result of a Presidents Day accident that occurred during the heavy rains; a truck went up over the curb of the island...
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Friends and neighbors: A new (Tuesday, Jan. 3) update on the state of the fountain: According to Bruce Pratt, senior maintenance supervisor for the City of Berkeley parks department, the heavily soaped water in the fountain is scheduled to be drained off tomorrow morning and replaced. Ideally the fountain will be back to running as normal soon after. Because improvements to the...
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Friends and neighbors: Overnight on Dec. 16-17, some pranksters tossed two large (half-gallon) bottles of dishwashing liquid into the fountain. By morning, there was a 2-foot tall layer of dense soap suds covering the fountain pool. While this is an eye-catching sight for some passers-by — “Is that snow?” some drivers asked — it is a real problem and chore...
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The tradition of decorating the Fountain at The Circle for the holiday season was carried out again this past weekend, as volunteers with Friends of the Fountain and Walk added greenery and lighting — and snazzy holiday outfits for the fountain’s four grizzly bear cubs. Last week, a crew led by longtime FOFW president and volunteer coordinator Sara Holmes crafted...
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On Sept. 15, 1996, thousands of people gathered at The Circle in Berkeley’s Northbrae neighborhood to celebrate a landmark occasion: the dedication of the restored Fountain at The Circle, the sparkling centerpiece of the city’s first public art project. Designed by famed architect John Galen Howard and erected in 1911, the original fountain had been gone from The Circle for...
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Hello and happy spring from Friends of the Fountain and Walk! If you are passing by The Circle or strolling along Fountain Walk today, keep an eye out for some Easter eggs like this one that have been hidden (in plain sight), containing some treats and a message. Happy hunting!
The main pump for the fountain has been replaced by City staff, so the fountain will is back on again. We thank City staff. Thank you for your support and love of the fountain.
