Dear Friends of FOFW, In November 2016, Berkeley voters approved Measure T1, a $100 million bond measure to repair, renovate, replace or reconstruct elements of our city’s aging infrastructure. Phase 1, approved in 2017, has funded more than 45 projects through 2021, including renovation of the North Berkeley Senior Center and Live Oak Community Center, as well as various park upgrades,...
Read More >>
Friends and neighbors: Or maybe Ruth Bader Grizzly? Over the weekend, someone adorned one of the Fountain at The Circle’s grizzly bear cub sculptures with a collar reminiscent of those famously worn by the late Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (see the attached photo). In general, we discourage anyone from going onto the fountain island for any reason, or...
Read More >>
Friends and neighbors: Sometime in the past few days, someone posted a flyer around The Circle claiming that Friends of the Fountain and Walk had removed a banner that had been hung on a nearby fence. That is not true, and, as far as I can tell, whoever posted that information did not contact our organization to ask if it...
Read More >>
Friends and neighbors: The annual decorations adorning the Fountain at The Circle are up and will be lighted nightly through early January. Thanks to all our hardy volunteers who braved the bracing weather on Saturday morning, Nov. 30, to attach the lighted evergreen swags to the perimeter of the fountain island, just beating the rain. They also did a thorough...
Read More >>
Friends and neighbors: Friends of the Fountain and Walk held its monthly maintenance day a week early on Saturday, Oct. 26, in order that our volunteers could partner with a group of students taking part in the annual Berkeley Project Day scheduled for that day. The students — from left, seniors Alex Rudolph and Jackson Bader and freshman Marisa Salazar...
Read More >>
Friends and neighbors: If you, your friends or others you know are participating in the annual Solano Stroll this Sunday, Sept. 8, please think about strolling just off of upper Solano Avenue and making a visit to the landmark Fountain at The Circle and Fountain Walk. They are just minutes away from the top of Solano at The Alameda and...
Read More >>
Friends and neighbors: On Monday, June 3, members of Friends of the Fountain and Walk presented an illustrated talk about the connections linking Berkeley’s venerable Hillside Club with the development of our Northbrae neighborhood and the construction of the original Fountain at The Circle and Fountain Walk. The talk was very well attended, with about 80 people filling the Hillside...
Read More >>
Friends and neighbors: You may have wondered: Why is there a classically designed fountain flowing on an island in the middle of one of Berkeley’s busiest intersections? Why is it surrounded by a Beaux Arts balustrade? Why does upper Marin Avenue climb straight up to Grizzly Peak while all other roads in the area – many named for California counties...
Read More >>
Friends and neighbors: Mark your calendars for a pair of events chronicling the history of the Fountain at The Circle and Fountain Walk and their Northbrae neighborhood: Circle/Walk/Northbrae Walking Tour On Saturday, May 18, join the Friends of the Fountain and Walk and the Berkeley Historical Society for a walking tour of the Northbrae neighborhood that is home to the...
Read More >>
Friends and neighbors: You will notice that the Fountain at The Circle is empty and dark this evening (Monday, Nov. 19). That is due to a second act of vandalism in a week. Someone(s) put detergent in the fountain to create soap suds sometime late Sunday or early Monday. A pointless and aggravating act that only results in wasted water,...
Read More >>
