In a plot twist that screams “local art drama,” 95-year-old French-Canadian sculptor Armand Vaillancourt just jet-setted from Montreal to San Francisco with one mission: save his brutalist concrete baby, the Embarcadero Plaza Fountain.

A Fountain with Attitude

Vaillancourt’s 54-year-old creation, originally titled “Québec libre!” (because why not make a political statement with public art?), has long been the ugly duckling of SF’s public spaces. Currently sitting waterless and gray, the fountain has survived earthquakes, mockery, and decades of skateboard abuse.

The Million-Dollar Dilemma

With a potential $30 million plaza redesign on the horizon, the fountain’s fate hangs in the balance. City renderings conveniently “forgot” to include Vaillancourt’s monumental sculpture, prompting the octogenarian artist to personally intervene. Replacing the fountain’s pump would cost $3 million, but demolishing it? Potentially even more expensive.

Preservation or Progress?

Vaillancourt’s message is clear: “Be reasonable. Let that artwork live forever”. Whether SF will listen to this passionate artist remains to be seen, but one thing’s certain - this fountain isn’t going down without a fight.