Progress on Restoring the Elk Fountain and Statue

 

Despite a unanimous Portland City Council decision 11 months ago, there has been little public discussion about restoring the historic David P. Thompson elk statue and fountain that was damaged and then removed after public protests in 2020.

Obviously, however, there has been talk and activity in the background aimed at rebuilding the fountain and elk pedestal at its historic location on S.W. Main Street.

 The evidence became clear at a City Council work session on April 10 for the 2023-2024 municipal budget.  The non-profit Portland Park Foundation proposed to raise funds to pay for construction drawings for the restoration project, if the city promises to allocate $1.5 million for construction costs.

 The $1.5 million presumably would come from Water Bureau revenues, given that the Water Bureau is charged with rebuilding the fountain.  The Parks Bureau will be in charge of replacing the elk statue.

 Mary Ruble, the foundation’s treasurer, said $70,000 in commitments already has been raised.  Randy Gragg, the foundation’s executive director, said a crowd-funding campaign would begin if the City Council assures construction costs. “We anticipate widespread approval” by citizens, he said.  The total estimated cost of design and construction drawings is $156,000. 

If the plan comes to fruition, the elk and its fountain would be restored sometime in 2024. 

 Timing is critical.   A new form of city government takes power in 2025, and there is no guarantee that a new, 12-member City Council would carry out a resolution adopted by the five-member council in May, 2022.

The fountain and statue were given to the city in 1900 by David P. Thompson, an early pioneer and one-time Portland mayor who also was a founder of the Oregon Humane Society.

 While it would be inappropriate to assume that City Council reconstruction funding is assured, three of the five council members ---Mayor Ted Wheeler and Commissioners Mingus Mapps and Dan Ryan -- referred favorably to the fountain in their comments during the budget session.  Wheeler said the elk “symbolically has a great deal of importance to the people of the city.” He said its restoration be a welcome sign of downtown recovery.

 Mayor Ted Wheeler is expected to produce a final proposed budget in mid-May, when it will be sent to the City Council for final approval in June.

---Fred Leeson

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