October 5 | A Minor Miracle at The Circle

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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August 24 | Talk and Tour on Northbrae Homes & History

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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August 5 | Coming Soon: New Flowers Around The Circle

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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July 12 | Fountain Walk Plants Are Not Up for Grabs

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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June 30 | Support the Northbrae Lantern Project!

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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June 28 | We Need You: Volunteer With Us!

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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January 5 | Ringing in the New Year

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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December 26 | FOFW Anniversary Noted in Berkeleyside

Friends and neighbors: Happy holidays! As we noted earlier this year, Friends of the Fountain and Walk marked its 30th anniversary in 2023. Created as an all-volunteer nonprofit in 1993 by a group of neighbors, it has served as community caretaker for the Fountain at The Circle and Fountain Walk ever since. This week, Berkeley’s community news site, Berkeleyside, took...

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December 2 | Fountain Decorated for the Season

Friends and neighbors: Just a note to let you know the Fountain at The Circle is now dressed for the holidays. A group of Friends of the Fountain and Walk volunteers added lighted greenery around the perimeter of the fountain island and wreaths and kippot on the grizzly bear cubs at the fountain’s center. The decorations will be up through...

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November 25 | Happy Holidays to All Our Friends!

Friends and neighbors: Happy holidays! And a sincere thank you for all your support of our now 30-year-old neighborhood nonprofit. Yes, 2023 marked Friends of the Fountain and Walk’s third full decade as an all-volunteer, grassroots organization, a milestone only possible thanks to a community that cares about preserving its neighborhood treasures. In this 30th anniversary year, in partnership with...

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