The Berger Fountain, Loring Park’s dandelion-shaped centerpiece, is finally on track to gush again after years of sitting dry. State lawmakers signed off on $1.8 million this spring to cover a big chunk of a full rebuild and plaza upgrade, closing a longstanding funding gap that neighborhood volunteers have been chipping away at for years. Designers and park staff say the project will replace the fountain’s aging underground guts, add seating and planters, and improve lighting and accessibility throughout the site.
Bonding dollars push project forward
According to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, the new funding comes from the state’s bonding package and is specifically earmarked for the Berger Fountain and plaza renovation. The Legislature’s HF719 text also spells out a grant to predesign, design, construct, furnish and equip improvements to the Berger Fountain and Plaza, per the official bill record.
Design and plaza will reshape the site
Damon Farber Landscape Architects is handling the plaza design and construction documents, and their concept keeps the iconic dandelion spray head while stretching the surrounding platform into a triangular plaza with seating, flower planters, permeable paving and nighttime lighting. Damon Farber and neighborhood partners say the plan focuses on accessibility and long-term sustainability. Citizens For A Loring Park Community has shared concept boards and fundraising updates that break down the planned seating, planter layouts and other plaza features.
How the dandelion went dark
According to Citizens For A Loring Park Community, the Berger Fountain was installed in 1975 after Benjamin Berger commissioned a copy of Sydney’s El Alamein Fountain, and decades of use slowly took a toll. The plumbing, tiles, and electrical systems deteriorated so badly that the Park Board shut off the water in 2018. A tilted foundation and leaking pools left the underground vault in rough shape, pushing officials toward a full shutdown and triggering a multi-year push to raise repair money…