Arts Commission approves emergency removal of Vaillancourt Fountain, citing structural hazards

The San Francisco Arts Commission on Nov. 3 approved an emergency motion to remove and place in secure storage the Embarcadero (Vaillancourt) Fountain by Armand Vaillancourt, citing severe structural deterioration and immediate public‑safety concerns.

Ioana Goodwin, project manager for the Recreation and Park Department, told commissioners the 50‑year‑old fountain has suffered "cracking, spalling, corrosion of internal steel" and other damage that makes the structure unsafe to access for maintenance. Goodwin said the fountains final water pump failed in May 2024 and that non‑destructive testing showed missing reinforcement and a missing post‑tensioning rod; she said one cantilevered, 10‑ton concrete arm is now resting on another, introducing unintended loads.

"Taken together with repeated breaches of the citys security measures, these conditions represent a life‑safety emergency," Goodwin said, describing disassembly and secure storage as the only practical way to allow engineers to quantify internal corrosion and evaluate options for restoration, relocation, repurposing or reassembly.

The Department of Building Inspection reviewed and "concurred with the independent…