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San Francisco Fences Off Vaillancourt Fountain Over Safety Hazards

City officials fenced off the 710-ton Brutalist sculpture after a study revealed severe corrosion and toxic materials.

FILE: An aerial view of Embarcadero Plaza in San Francisco on April 10, 2025.
A rendering of the fence scheduled to be put up around Vaillancourt Fountain on San Francisco’s Embarcadero Plaza starting Monday morning.
A rendering of the conceptual proposal for a remake of Embarcadero Plaza did not include Vaillancourt Fountain.
The Ferry Building looms behind Vaillancourt Fountain, which is being fenced off Monday.

Overview

  • A 122-page report by Page & Turnbull with structural input from DCI Engineers and hazardous materials analysis from North Tower Environmental found cracked supports, widespread corrosion and asbestos and lead contamination.
  • Recreation and Park Department spokesperson Tamara Aparton called the fountain “hazardous” and unsafe for public interaction or maintenance crews, leading to 3.5- to 6-foot steel mesh fencing around the sculpture.
  • The fountain has been dry since a pump failure in June 2024 removed its interactive water feature from public use.
  • Officials say the fencing is a temporary safety step that will not delay the $30 million Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park overhaul, and that the Arts Commission will hold public hearings before any final decision.
  • Artist Armand Vaillancourt, who visited San Francisco in May, and other preservation advocates are pushing to restore the 1971 fountain at an estimated renovation cost of $12 million to $17 million with about $100,000 in annual upkeep.