San Francisco, CA
San Francisco starts $4M removal of controversial Vaillancourt Fountain
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Crews began work Monday to remove the controversial Vaillancourt Fountain in San Francisco’s Embarcadero Plaza.
Tamara Barak Aparton, spokesperson for the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, said this week is focused on preparation, including removing grout between arm joints and labeling the fountain so it could potentially be reassembled later.
She said the fountain is being removed because of significant public safety risks caused by deterioration. It is structurally unstable and corroded.
“There’s also, like a lot of old structures, asbestos and lead, and it’s become kind of an attractive nuisance, so having it in storage will be significantly safer than having it out in a public square,” Barak Aparton said.
The fountain, created by sculptor Armand Vaillancourt, has been controversial, with a preservationist group suing to keep it in place.
The fountain, made up of 710 tons of material, was completed in 1971.
MORE: Removal of controversial Thomas Fallon statue in San Jose begins
In 1987, U2’s Bono spray-painted graffiti on the fountain during a free concert. He was cited for it.
The city said the entire removal process will take several months. The removal and storage of the fountain will cost $4 million.
San Francisco resident Alec Bash is happy to see the fountain go, saying it had become an eyesore.
“It had been a wonderful site-specific art installation,” Bash said. “Now it’s sort of out of place, out of context, out of time.”
Business owners Mike Stephens and Nigel Kennedy have mixed emotions about the removal.
“I remember skateboarding here in the ’90s, this whole plaza,” said Stephens, who owns Mike’s Barbershop in San Francisco. “To me, that fountain, it’s kind of a little ugly, but it has an iconic memory.”
MORE: After decades of public protest, SJ votes to remove controversial Thomas Fallon statue
“I’m a little sad to see it go,” said Kennedy, of Pro Style Barber Shop in San Francisco. “I think they are pushing some things through to make this all happen. But I’m also open to new opportunities. I’m a business owner here, so it might bring new business for me.”
ABC7 Eyewitness News reached out to the group advocating to keep the fountain, as well as the group’s attorney.
The attorney for keeping the historic fountain open sent a statement to ABC7 Eyewitness News’ Gloria Rodriguez writing:
“Friends of the Plaza filed an appeal last week of the preliminary injunction denial. Today Friends filed an appellate petition for a stay and writ of supersedeas to prevent physical disassembly, demolition, or removal of the historic Vaillancourt Fountain from Embarcadero Plaza while the legal case proceeds.
Emergency exemption from CEQA, including for a project to substantially alter a qualified historic resource, requires more than deteriorated condition. Exemption is restricted to a “sudden, unexpected occurrence” requiring “immediate action” with no time for CEQA review. ( 21060.3.) Those are not present here.
No substantial evidence supports a conclusion that retaining the fountain in place to protect the court’s jurisdiction during the adjudication of the mandamus petition-projected at four months under the current schedule-could or would cause any harm to the public.
The City now admits that it can protect the fountain and the public on the site at a cost of $ 890,000 (Declaration of Eoanna Goodwin): much less than its current plan to spend $4.4 million for fountain disassembly and relocation. There is no emergency.
A stay and supersedeas will give a unique, storied resource of undisputed local, state, and national historic significance the benefit of the public CEQA process required by law-its only chance for survival. The historic Vaillancourt Fountain should not be disassembled or relocated from Embarcadero Plaza while Friends prove that there is no emergency justifying exemption from CEQA. Imminent substantial damage or loss of a historic resource presents exceptionally clear basis for issuance of a stay.
An emergency stay-this week-and supersedeas are urgently requested to protect the status quo while the case proceeds.”
There will be a community meeting Tuesday at 5:30p to discuss the future of Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park. It is from 5:30p to 7p at Three Embarcadero Center.
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A “PloverFest” party was held Sunday to celebrate the first anniversary of Sunset Dunes, the two-mile linear park along San Francisco’s coastline. When Sunset Dunes opened, it made history as California’s largest pedestrianization project, measuring 50 acres and stretching from Sloat Boulevard to Lincoln Way.
Since then, it’s become a vibrant gathering place where people of all ages come to play, relax, bike, skate, walk, run, and connect by the coast.
“Thousands of people came out to Sunset Dunes for PloverFest to celebrate and listen to music with neighbors and friends,” said Lucas Lux with Friends of Sunset Dunes. “This energy is yet another sign of how beloved the park has become,”
More from S.F. Rec and Park:
Over the past 12 months, approximately 300 volunteers planted more than 2,200 dune grasses, strengthening the shoreline against sea level rise. Birding excursions, walking tours and dog stewardship education helped community members connect with nature. Birdwatchers documented 87 species, including nesting white-crowned sparrows.
Sunset Dunes hosted 20 permitted events in its first year, drawing large crowds, including nearly 13,000 participants at the Skechers Hot Chocolate Run, 9,500 runners at the San Francisco Half Marathon, and 3,000 Halloween revelers at the Great Hauntway event.
At the same time, the park is used regularly for everyday recreation and gathering. Survey data indicates one in four visitors lives in the Sunset.
Rec and Park also conducted a broad community outreach process in the park’s first year, hosting open houses and stakeholder meetings and gathering input from more than 3,000 people. That work will continue in the second year, with a focus on delivering community-requested improvements, adding new amenities, and engaging the public in shaping the park’s future.
Of course, there’s still a shrinking contingent of obstructionists who will never accept the outcome of 2024’s Prop. K, which converted this stretch of Great Highway into a park. Yes, it cost Supervisor Joel Engardio his job. And, yes, the “controversy” continues. But given the park’s success, the remaining opposition, loud as it may be, is in fact petering out.
“We’re looking forward to celebrating Sunset Dunes’s success for many more years to come,” said Lux.
Be sure to check out additional coverage of the anniversary in the SF Chron.
San Francisco, CA
Power outage in San Francisco’s Marina, Presidio neighborhoods leaves thousands in the dark
Thousands were left without power late Sunday night in San Francisco’s Marina and Presidio neighborhoods, according to the Pacific Gas and Electric website.
PG&E said more than 5,400 customers lost power around 9:15 p.m. The outage spanned from the Presidio to the Great Meadow Park area in the Marina District, impacting homes and businesses north of Lombard Street.
The utility company’s website says its team is evaluating the electrical system and power is estimated to be restored around 3 a.m. Monday.
By about 11:30 p.m., all but about 600 customers had their power restored.
It’s unknown what caused the outage.
San Francisco rolled in today, under a gray blanket of low clouds, morning temperatures hovering near 55°F and pockets of patchy drizzle dampening parts of the city. Forecasters expect that light mist to drift on and off through the day and into early Monday, keeping highs mainly in the low to mid 60s with a steady onshore breeze keeping things feeling cooler near the water.
Afternoon Winds Pick Up
By afternoon, winds are set to swing around to the west and west-southwest and turn noticeably breezier, generally in the 6 to 12 mph range, with occasional stronger gusts funneling through the usual gaps and passes. That onshore push will leave the waterfront cooler and cloudier, while neighborhoods just a few miles inland should manage a modest warmup. The National Weather Service expects these breezy conditions to hang around into the middle of next week as the pattern dries out.
Drizzle Through Monday, Then A Warmup
A couple of weak impulses will keep light rain and drizzle in the mix tomorrow, though totals are expected to be minimal, and many parts of the city will stay either dry or just briefly damp. The marine layer is projected to thin out Tuesday, April 28, into Wednesday, April 29, which should let inland parts of the Bay Area climb into the upper 60s and low 70s.
Commute And Outdoor Plans
For tomorrow morning’s commute, expect slick patches on sidewalks and bike lanes where drizzle lingers, though driving impacts should remain minor. It is still smart to leave a little extra room for braking if the pavement is damp. Planning to be outside tomorrow. Toss a light rain jacket in your bag, especially if you are headed to the immediate coast or moving through the Golden Gate corridor, where the wettest pockets are most likely. There are no watches or warnings in effect for the city at this time.
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