SF Rec and Parks formally requested deaccession and removal of the Vaillancourt Fountain from Embarcadero Plaza. The Brutalist, currently fenced-off fountain was omitted from a proposed $32 million renovation plan released in July 2024. The fountain has drawn preservation pleas, including from its 95-year-old sculptor Armand Vaillancourt, but public support has waned. Department leadership framed removal as necessary to ensure public safety, uphold responsible stewardship of civic assets, and enable a reimagined plaza that serves all residents. Officials have also pointed to the high projected cost of retaining and restoring the fountain as a key factor.
The massive, sculptural fountain was very conspicuously not included in the plans of a proposed $32 million renovation of Embarcadero Plaza that were released in July 2024. There have been some pleas to preserve the fountain over the years, even from the fountain's 95-year-old sculptor Armand Vaillancourt, but the piece seems to have fewer and fewer supporters who want to see it stay.
The Chronicle reports that SF Rec and Parks Department manager Phil Ginsburg officially requested that Vaillancourt Fountain be removed in a letter to the SF Arts Commission. Ginsburg's request is not surprising, because other Rec and Parks officials already said they'd rather it be removed in previous public meetings. But this came from Phil Ginsburg, the boss at SF Rec and Parks, so it's a pretty strong shot across the bow.
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