An artist’s rendering of the reimagined Welsh Fountain Gardens in West Fairmount Park (see more renderings below).

The Fairmount Park Conservancy joined State Senator Vincent J. Hughes and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation today to announce a major $2.3 million state grant for the Welsh Fountain Gardens, which is located between Avenue of the Republic and Parkside Avenue across from the Please Touch Museum. Funded through the Commonwealth’s Multimodal Transportation Fund, the project aims to turn a long-dormant historic site into a safe, vibrant space for the community.

While the John Welsh Memorial Fountain was a popular landmark following the 1876 Centennial Exposition, it has been non-functional for decades. This new project goes beyond just fixing the plumbing; it’s a full revitalization. Working with Nelson Byrd Woltz landscape architects, the Conservancy developed a plan based on two years of community feedback. Highlights include:

• Family-Friendly Spaces: New “learning features” like climbable boulders and water play areas near the Please Touch Museum.
• Safety Upgrades: Much-needed traffic calming, including narrower roads and brighter lighting, to make walking and biking from the Parkside neighborhood safer.
• Cultural Honor: New signage and public art will highlight the historical significance of the surrounding area.

The project is a collaborative effort between the Fairmount Park Conservancy, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, and the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability (OTIS).

State Senator Vincent Hughes (right) presenting the $2.3 million grant to the Fairmount Park Conservancy near the Welsh Fountain on Friday, April 10.