March 10, 2014 | Repairs Continue – Update

We are in the last phase of repairs that are made possible with the generous donations from the community. Thank you!

On March 11th Hans Thiering Masonry and his crew began repairing Fountain Walk sidewalk and steps, and they also installed 10 more full balusters and one half baluster. The baluster replacements are complete and the sidewalk repairs are also done. The repairs to the steps are well under way.

Beginning March 24th, the fountain will be drained for about a week. This will allow for repairs to be done to 10 of the 22 coping caps (where you can sit around the edge of the fountain) that are loose.

Also, the electrical department from the City of Berkeley will complete the repairs/replacement one of the four light fixtures in the fountain. One of the pool lights had a leak and will be replaced. The junction boxes in the pool will also be replaced.

We are working on another project in parallel. Some of the plumbing has gotten worn out over the years and needs refurbishing. So far several of the gate valves have been replaced: one was brass, but had just worn out; two others had plastic handles that had long ago broken off, and these were replaced with brass gate valves.

We are currently acquiring quotes to replace the main and filter pumps, which are quite rusty. Those will be installed later.

March 24th repairs to the coping caps (where you can sit around the edge of the fountain) began. There are 22 of them, and all but one is loose. The repairs involve removing many of the caps, but not all of them. Hans Thiering Masonry and his crew will be able to repair all of them without removing all of them. In the end, all 22 of them will be secure.

Due to the rain, these repairs will be completed next week, as well as the repairs to Fountain Walk steps.

Yesterday the electrical department from the City of Berkeley replaced one of the four light fixtures in the fountain pool, which had a leak. One of the junction boxes in the pool was also replaced. Thank you Rich and Dave!