Berger Fountain Restoration Project

The Berger Fountain, known as the dandelion fountain to most, was installed in 1975 by Benjamin Berger and has been a beloved neighborhood landmark in Loring Park and a favorite location for wedding photographers and children ever since. Ben Berger was a park board commissioner and, after seeing a dandelion fountain in Australia, fundraised to build a sister fountain right here in Minnesota. It has become a historic icon in Minneapolis and its park system during several planning processes throughout the last many decades, the community has strongly communicated their desire to preserve, maintain, and restore the fountain for future generations.

The Berger Fountain rehabilitation was identified as a priority in the Loring Park Neighborhood Revitalization Plan (NRP) Phase I Plan, the Loring Park NRP Phase II Plan, and the Loring Park Neighborhood Small Area Plan; all three plans were adopted by the Minneapolis City Council in 1995, 2008, and 2013, respectively. The Downtown Public Realm Plan, adopted in 2016, also identified the Berger Fountain as a priority in its planning. A Berger Fountain Task Force (Task Force) was formed in 2014 to work independently and collaboratively with the MPRB to improve maintenance and support for the fountain.

In 2017, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) adopted the Downtown Service Area Master Plan (DSAMP) which set goals for long-term development and improvements to parks guided by extensive engagement from the communities that MPRB serves. After months of engaging with community, DSAMP outlined a high-level vision for Loring Park, including a vision for Berger Fountain and the surrounding park space. This vision included refurbishing and retaining the dandelion fountain alongside additional community amenities, such as considering a water feature, and adding a plaza and additional seating areas to increase community access (see pages 4-73 through 4-77 for DSAMP Berger Fountain content: https://www.minneapolisparks.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/MPRB_DSAMP_….)

In summer 2020, the Berger Fountain ceased to operate because to deferred maintenance and capacity due to the pandemic, which heightened the need to move rehabilitation forward. In June 2022, landscape architect Damon Farber LLC was hired to complete a rehabilitation assessment and preliminary cost estimate for future work. Damon Farber's assessment informed next steps in the process. In 2023, MPRB hired Damon Farber again to engage the community further and complete a final design concept and initial cost estimate. These funds will allow MPRB to advance design work, leading to the reconstruction and restoration the fountain and plaza in 2025.

Our community partners are currently fundraising to finalize funds for construction. The project has benefited from a large of support and grassroots engagement/funds from community members across the city and country who love the fountain and want to see it back in working order.