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The Berger Fountain in Loring Park was one of the most striking water features in the Twin Cities, until it went dry roughly five years ago.
It is often called the “dandelion fountain” because of how water sprayed from an array of rods, giving it the appearance of a giant fluid ball. Surrounded by cascading pools, the fountain cooled and soothed parkgoers for nearly half a century.
But water was leaking from the pools and underground pipes. So the Park Board had to turn it off.
These days, without its rods and water, it looks more like the Loring Park lollipop statue.
The good news is that neighbors have stepped up to revive it. They’re trying to raise $2.6 million to repair the fountain and build a formal plaza around it. Now in its second year, the campaign is about halfway toward the goal.
I’m glad to hear there is a community effort to bring the dandelion back. Fountains can be costly to maintain, but there’s something intangible about the value they provide in an urban environment.
“You have to have places that are peaceful, that keep people whole, or people would just get so gloomy and down,” said Jana Metge, coordinator of Citizens for a Loring Park Community, the local neighborhood group. “This is like a healing feature for the whole city, I think.”