Government House Fountain - St. Augustine, FL - Fountains on Waymarking.com

"What began as a brain-storming idea during a small staff meeting has now culminated into the restoration of fountains in downtown, all dating from the last dozen years of the 19th century.

The meeting attended by John Regan, the city’s COO, Tim Burchfield, the CAO, and Catherine Culver, the Department of Heritage Tourism’s Marketing and Events Coordinator, was held to fine tune the city’s annual Noche de Gala, an event held each February to commemorate the birthday of Pedro Menéndez de Aviles, St. Augustine’s founder.

With the idea to deposit any proceeds from the Gala into an enterprise fund dedicated to specific projects related to historic preservation, the meeting was held to determine this year’s project.

Unanimously, it was agreed that the restoration of the city’s distinct chain of Flagler Era fountains, many of which have not functioned properly for years, would be an appropriate initial recipient of the Gala’s proceeds. As plans were developed, three separate local contractors stepped up and offered to work on the project as an in-kind, public service donation to the community, and as a way to honor family members.

First to be returned to its free-flowing state was the fountain west of Government House, between King Street and Cathedral Place. That work was done by John Valdes and his company John Valdes and Associates, William Putnam, Duane Gilrie, Stuart George, Wayne Ferrell and Tim Wine. It was in memory of Desmond R. Valdes, John’s brother. The park and then the fountain were created when Cathedral Place was extended from St. George Street west to Cordova Street after the opening of the Ponce de Leon Hotel, now Flagler College."

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