When I mention Phifer’s Fountain to my friends and neighbours, I get the same quizzical stare every time. “What’s that?” they say. It’s that big wooden thing over by the Chevron. “Oh yeah. What is it?” Read on.
The “fountain’s” journey to Princeton started in 2001, when a Vancouver Sun article by John Mackie announced that a distinctive sculptural art installation was about to lose its home due to commercial redevelopment of the Granville Square plaza at 200 Granville Street Vancouver, owned by Cadillac-Fairview Corporation. The structure, designed by artist Michael Phifer, was offered up for free to anyone willing to relocate it. For many communities, the logistics alone would have been a deal‑breaker. Princeton, however, saw an opportunity. With the help of local organizations, sponsors, and volunteers, the town arranged to transport the fountain hundreds of kilometers from Vancouver to the Similkameen Valley.
The structure is made from solid Western Red Cedar logs donated by MacMillan-Bloedel Lumber Company. Originally unveiled in 1973, these were purportedly, the very last Red Cedar logs to be exported from Clayaquot Sound (Haida Gwaii). The sculpture, consisting of 1 meter square blocks ranging from 1 to 6 meters tall, had to be disassembled in Vancouver, transported and reassembled in Princeton. The Vermilion Trails Society oversaw the raising of $30,000 in private and business donations to pay for the move. Local businesses and volunteers cooperated to reassemble the sculpture. Ironically, it was the Canadian Pacific Railway that originally commissioned the sculpture and it now resides on the former right of way of the Kettle Valley Railway, which was owned by the CPR.
On Canada Day, 2002, the fountain was rededicated at an official ribbon‑cutting ceremony. The event brought together a cross‑section of Princeton’s civic life: representatives from the RCMP, the Regional District, Princeton Light & Power, the Vermilion Trails Society, and the Town of Princeton itself stood alongside artist Michael Phifer to officially welcome the sculpture to its new home.
Today, Phifer’s Fountain sits along the Trans Canada Trail, functioning as both a visual landmark and a waypoint for walkers, cyclists, and visitors exploring the area. Its placement near the trail underscores Princeton’s broader emphasis on outdoor recreation and public art, two themes that define the town’s identity. The fountain is part of a larger constellation of sculptures scattered throughout Princeton, including life‑size bronze wildlife figures that celebrate the region’s natural heritage.
In the end, the fountain is more than a relocated sculpture. It’s a testament to Princeton’s commitment to preserving and celebrating art, its ability to rally around a shared project, and its belief that even a piece of cast‑off urban infrastructure can become a beloved local treasure. Princeton Museum – photo by Todd Davidson.