April 14, 2026
Provided Image/Design Distill for Nelson Byrd Woltz
A $2.3 million grant will support the Fairmount Park Conservancy's plan to restore the John Welsh Memorial fountain outside the Please Touch Museum. Water hasn't flowed from the 19th century landmark in decades.
Plans to restore a 19th century fountain in West Fairmount Park will move forward and be supported by a $2.3 million state grant for a range of improvements at the site in Parkside.
The John Welsh Memorial Fountain was built in 1887 to honor of the chairman of the board of finance for the 1876 U.S. Centennial Exposition, which brought nearly 10 million visitors to Philadelphia. It once served as a scenic gathering space, but the landmark fell into disrepair in the 1970s and hasn't had flowing water for decades. It sits directly across from the Please Touch Museum on the Avenue of the Republic.
The Fairmount Park Conservancy joined state Sen. Vincent Hughes (D) on Monday to celebrate the grant for the Welsh Fountain Gardens project. The money comes from the state's Multimodal Transportation Fund and bolsters the fundraising efforts the Fairmount Park Conservancy undertook in recent years as the project gained momentum.
A historical photo shows the John Welsh Memorial Fountain in West Fairmount Park.
"This is a project that has been driven by thoughtful community input from the start," Hughes said in a statement. "Once complete, the area will be completely transformed into a beautiful outdoor space that is significantly more accessible for pedestrians."
In addition to restoring the fountain to working condition, the project will bring traffic calming measures and new pedestrian walkways to the surrounding landscape. The Fairmount Park Conservancy worked with architecture firm Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects to incorporate feedback from public meetings in recent years. Plans call for more than 230 new canopy and native plants to be added in the vicinity of the monument.
A rendering shows plans for the area of West Fairmount Park surrounding the John Welsh Memorial Fountain.
Another rendering shows plans for the park surrounding the John Welsh Memorial Fountain.
Other features of the project include funding for climbable boulders and interactive water features near the Please Touch Museum. New signage will highlight Parkside's cultural and historical significance.
Officials hope to break ground on the restoration some time in the fall.
"When we invest in public spaces, we want to make sure everyone feels welcome — and that accessibility includes basic safety," Fairmount Park Conservancy CEO Tony Sorrentino said in a statement. "We are grateful to have the Commonwealth's support as we promote equitable wellbeing through access to public spaces."
