Last week a truck clipped the base of the historic Joseph Battell Fountain at the south end of the Village Greenand snapped one of the bollards protecting its basin. The blow moved the basin itself a good two inches, according to Norfolk Community Association co-president Barry Webber.
“There appeared to be marks from a tire on the bollard closest to the bench and the next one was snapped off at ground level,” he said. “We are assuming a truck was turning—there is not enough room there for a trailer to make a U-turn, but I have seen them try it before.”
Webber said repairing the bollard and repositioning the basin should be taken care of through town insurance. Barbara Gomez, the selectmen’s administrative assistant, is looking into that aspect.
The historic fountain, presented to the town in 1889 by Mary Eldridge in honor of her parents underwent a $175,000 restoration in 2021. Francis Miller of Conserve ART, who did the extensive restoration, will provide an estimate for repairs. Webber said the bollard can be repaired and reinserted into its former place on the base. “I image they will use metal posts to secure it, like having a pin put in a broken bone,” he said.
The Community Associates hope the work can be completed by winter. The granite bollards protected the body of the fountain from much damage, but Webber said he would like to see a ring of metal ones protecting the entire structure from vehicular damage.
“The stone bollards were only meant to let horses drink from the trough while protecting the fountain from wagons,” he explained. Today’s semis are a much bigger threat.