Future of Vaillancourt Fountain in San Francisco remains in limbo
By CBS Bay Area
The future of the Vaillancourt Fountain in San Francisco continues to be up in the air, with some hoping it will ultimately stay in its current location.
When Allegra Fisher looks at the Vaillancourt Fountain in Embarcadero Plaza, her childhood memories come flooding back.
“This is around the age when I probably loved running in the fountain the most,” Fisher said, holding a picture of herself at age 3.
She vividly remembers jumping between concrete slabs she called “lily pads” while dodging fountain water as she waited for her mother to leave work in the 90s. Now an artist and painter, the fountain is a symbol of the artistic freedom that San Francisco is known for.
That’s why she waited nearly two hours to defend the fountain from demolition at the SF Arts Commission meeting on Oct. 6.
“As an artist who continues to choose to make San Francisco home, I hope the commission chooses to invest in public spaces that are unique and full of important art and architectural history,” Fisher said before the commission.
A recent report mandated by the city revealed that the fountain isn’t ADA-compliant. It also contains lead and asbestos. San Francisco Recreation and Parks estimated it’ll cost $29 million to renovate, but only $2.68 million to remove.
Julian Lake acted as a spokesperson for the Bay Area Council during the hearing, arguing that the statue was not worth the cost.
“It’s no longer fun and interactive for children to play in and communities to engage in,” Lake said of the Vaillancourt. “It’s now cordoned off and because it’s because of safety hazards, has to be fenced away so that folks are not injured in interacting with the fountain itself.”
Lake said the fountain, which hasn’t been active since 2023, should be replaced with another structure as the city plans to remodel the Embarcadero.
“We also can make way for new inspiration,” Lake said.
The decision ultimately lands on the SF Arts Commission, which hasn’t voted on a decision yet. During the meeting, some members suggested storing the fountain or finding private donations to support renovations.
The commission hasn’t set another date to vote or discuss the fountain as of now. Fisher just hopes that sculpture will stay in place and hopefully run again, so other kids can enjoy it as she did in her youth.
