#vaillancourt-fountain

#vaillancourt-fountain

That brought out the cavalry of Vaillancourt Fountain fans to defend the long-not functioning public art piece, even bringing the original 95-year-old artist Armand Vaillancourt to SF to fight for it. But the fountain problems came to a head this past June when the SF Rec and Parks Department declared the fountain hazardous and fenced it off to the public. Rec and Parks then formally requested the fountain's removal in August.

A 15-month-long controversy over the possible removal of the brutalist Vaillancourt Fountain is over for now, as the SF Arts Commission just voted 8-5 to take it down, though they say it will be put into storage and it could possibly be rebuilt. It created some waves July 2024 when SF city officials presented a proposed redesign for the Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park and that design did not include the Vaillancourt Fountain that's been there since 1971.

Many have called the hulking Brutalist fountain at Embarcardero Plaza "maligned" and even "ugly," but artist Armand Vaillancourt's sculptural work still has many ardent fans who will not be pleased by the lastest move by SF Rec & Parks to remove it in short order. It's been two months since San Francisco's Recreation and Parks Department submitted its formal request to have the Vaillancourt Fountain removed, seeking the SF Arts Commission's approval for deaccession of the artwork for various reasons, including public safety.