Friends and neighbors: Just a note to say happy new year and thank you for your continuing support of our small, all-volunteer neighborhood nonprofit. We are very grateful to members of our community — both longtime supporters and those who are brand new — for their generous donations of dollars and of volunteer time. We could not fulfill our mission...
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Friends and neighbors: On Saturday, November 23, braving the rain and wind of the atmospheric river and bomb cyclone, the valiant volunteers of Friends of the Fountain and Walk added seasonal decorations to the Fountain at The Circle. From now through the first week of January, the fountain island will be ringed with lighted garlands of greenery and the grizzly...
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Friends and neighbors: Happy Halloween! It’s the final day of October, which has been an eventful month around The Circle. But we head into November and the holiday season full of hope for good things. A recap: On Saturday, Oct. 5, a car descending Marin Avenue struck another car and flew into the center island of The Circle, narrowly missing...
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Friends and neighbors: On Saturday, Oct. 5, a crash involving two cars at The Circle did significant damage to the ring of bollards surrounding the Fountain at The Circle but somehow entirely missed the fountain itself. Even better, none of those involved in the crash were killed, despite one of the cars apparently going airborne and then ending up across...
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Friends and neighbors: Wanted to bring to your attention to two upcoming events that will focus on the history and architecture of Northbrae. Sponsored by Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association, the related events are: Presentation on the development of Northbrae: This talk, scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, at Northbrae Community Church, will serve as a prelude to a BAHA...
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Friends and neighbors: The Circle at Marin and Arlington avenues, with its centerpiece fountain, includes a grand, circular balustrade that creates the outer edge of The Circle’s public precinct. The balustrade opens at each of the seven radiating streets, allowing them all to join at The Circle. John Galen Howard, the designer of The Circle, the fountain and Fountain Walk,...
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Friends and neighbors: If you’ve strolled along Fountain Walk the past few years, you’ve seen how the lower part of the Walk has been transformed into a lovely garden with an amazing variety of plantings that provide greenery and bursts of color year-round. That transformation is largely the work of Walk neighbor and Friends of the Fountain and Walk volunteer...
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Friends and neighbors: Over its 30-plus years of existence, with your support, Friends of the Fountain and Walk has worked diligently to preserve and restore landmark elements of the Northbrae neighborhood, including the Fountain at The Circle, Fountain Walk and the balustrade that borders the historic area, all designed by esteemed architect John Galen Howard more than a century ago....
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Friends and neighbors: Happy summer! There’s no better time to be out in the great outdoors. So why not spend an hour or two with Friends of the Fountain and Walk helping maintain our beloved Northbrae landmarks, the Fountain at The Circle and Fountain Walk? Once a month, usually on the first Saturday, we gather at The Circle to do...
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Friends and neighbors: Today a small group of volunteers gathered in The Circle to take down the holiday decorations that have adorned the center island and the bear cub sculptures on the Fountain at The Circle. It’s always a bittersweet task, as it signifies that the holidays are over and our Berkeley version of winter has really arrived. For the...
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