August 23, 2026 | For Its 30th Birthday, Some Fixes for the Fountain

Friends and neighbors:

In a few weeks, the Fountain at The Circle will mark the 30^th anniversary of its dedication on Sept. 15, 1996. A celebration that day shut down The Circle and thousands turned out to join in the festivities. The day capped a years-long effort by neighbors to replicate the fountain that had stood in the center of The Circle for nearly five decades between 1911 and 1957, before a runaway truck hurtling down Marin Avenue crashed into it and destroyed it. (You can read the history of both fountains here.)

For 30 years the new fountain has flowed, once again becoming a beloved Berkeley landmark. Friends of the Fountain and Walk, the neighborhood nonprofit that erected the fountain and works with the city to maintain and preserve it, Fountain Walk and the surrounding historic area, is taking the opportunity of the 30^th anniversary to do some needed improvements. The most visible will be a project to resurface the fountain’s large main pool, which will require the fountain to be shut off for at least two weeks.

(The draining of the fountain has taken place earlier than was planned due to an unfortunate act of vandalism – someone(s) putting soap into the water. This seemingly lighthearted prank usually means the waste of thousands of gallons of water. That it coincided this time with a planned draining is fortuitous, but this thoughtless action is still strongly discouraged.)

The resurfacing work is necessary to seal the concrete basin to prevent leaks and algae formation. Tiles around the rim of the pool will also be regrouted. We are hopeful the work will be completed and the fountain will be up and running again by its anniversary date.

We are grateful to all the donors whose generosity has helped underwrite this and other projects. (More information about how to make a tax-exempt donation can be found here.) We hope to keep the fountain flowing and the historic Circle and Walk in fine shape for at least another 30 years.

Questions? Concerns? Suggestions? Email us at fountainandwalk@gmail.com

— Board of Directors, Friends of the Fountain and Walk