Berger Fountain restoration secures $1.8 million in state funding for repairs, a new plaza and future construction.
The Minnesota State Legislature has awarded $1.8 million to fund the restoration of the Berger Fountain in Loring Park and the construction of a new plaza, exceeding the project’s 2026 fundraising goal of $1.5 million by $300,000.
Neighbors, elected officials and Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board staff gathered May 21 to celebrate the award. Speakers included Sen. Scott Dibble, Rep. Katie Jones, former Rep. Frank Hornstein, Park Commissioner Jason Garcia and Minneapolis City Council Member Elizabeth Shaffer, along with her policy aides David Berge and Marty Carlson.
Park Board staff were also recognized, including park planner Emma Pachuta and Berger Fountain project manager Andy Schilling.
The award caps years of citizen-driven advocacy. In 2023, then-Rep. Hornstein submitted a bill to finance the project, and the effort secured $200,000 through the Legacy Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
That amount paid landscape architecture firm Damon Farber to build out the designs and will also cover cleaning out the underground vault, removing old plumbing and wiring and purchasing benches for the new plaza.
From 2022 through 2025, the project secured an additional $1.3 million. Combined with Park Board funds, that money paid Damon Farber — selected through a competitive process — to complete a feasibility study, lead a community engagement and visioning process, and develop a concept plan which the community approved at the 2024 National Night Out event hosted by the Woman’s Club.
“This public space will center on peace, welcoming and a place for community to meet each other,” Dibble said at the celebration. “Places like this are healing and needed in community.”
Next Steps
Work on the underground vault will begin soon.
The Park Board will contract with the state to draw down the funds, set a timeline, build out construction documents and bid out the fountain and plaza work.
Details will be posted as they are defined, but contracting is the first step — and it will set the timeline.
The Citizens for a Loring Park Community (CLPC) and Friends of Loring Park have a signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Park Board. From that, the groups will develop a fundraising agreement that will include the use of the $1.8 million in state funding.
The award is the result of a citizen-driven legislative approach by the Berger Fountain Task Force, CLPC and Friends of Loring Park, working with Sen. Dibble and Rep. Jones.
This demonstrates the power of people’s voices.
With Thanks for Help With the Celebration
Thanks to musician Mark Stillman, to Fawkes Alley Coffee for refreshments and to consultant Jonathan Swoyer, who completed the project description for the Capital Committee. Thanks also to all the speakers and to emcee Kevin Winge, Aquatennial Board chair.
Jana Metge is executive director of the Citizens for a Loring Park Community, celebrating 56 years of placemaking. More at LoringPark.org.
