The discovery that nine brass basins had been removed from drinking fountains in Prospect Park has left park managers scrambling to restore service and assess losses. Workers from the Prospect Park Alliance found the missing fixtures on May 8, noting that the thefts affected fountains spread across several areas of the park. With summer heat approaching, officials say the damage is particularly disruptive to visitors who rely on park water sources.
Parks department leaders estimate the cost to replace each fountain with new models featuring stainless steel basins at about $11,000, bringing the total near $100,000 once parts and repairs are tallied. While the department has committed to fixing the fountains as quickly as possible, no firm timeline has been announced for completing the work across all affected sites.
Where the thefts occurred and what was taken
Thieves targeted fountains in sections of the park that are not all clustered together, increasing the difficulty of a single-camera or single-response explanation. Two fountains on the park’s Long Meadow, located near baseball fields, were stripped down to the metal dishes that normally support the basins. Another fountain near the boathouse was rendered unusable, and two others beside the Parade Grounds were left with pipes that still sputtered water but no sanitary basins for drinking.
Operational impact
Out of the park’s 52 drinking fountains, nine were confirmed as having their basins removed. That reduction in functioning sources matters at peak park use times when visitors — including parents, athletes and casual passersby — depend on freely available water. The decision to move from brass to stainless steel basins reflects a trade-off between replacement cost and future resilience against similar thefts.
Voices from the park and community reaction
Parkgoers who encountered the damaged fountains expressed frustration. Students Dave Green and Sam Klein, both 21, were playing catch near one of the disabled ballfield fountains when they noticed the missing basins. “It’s really a shame that people have to vandalize the park,” Green said, urging that the space be preserved for everyone’s use. Klein echoed the sentiment, saying it’s “not right” that people are left without safe drinking water because of deliberate damage.
Public access and fairness
The students’ reactions highlight a broader community concern: public amenities are meant to be shared resources. When fixtures are removed or damaged, everyone who uses the park pays the price through inconvenience or through taxpayer-funded repairs. The Parks Department’s plan to invest in new stainless steel basins aims to deter repeat incidents, but it also comes with a substantial near-term expense.
Why brass is targeted and industry perspective
Stealing metal from public property is part of a wider pattern tied to the value of scrap metals. Brass typically commands a higher price per pound than steel on the scrap market, which provides an incentive for opportunistic thefts of fixtures like fountain basins. It is not clear exactly how much the basins removed from the park weigh, but their material made them attractive targets.
Timothy Fulton, owner of T&T Scrap in East Williamsburg, noted that the market price of brass had been rising for months prior to the thefts, which can increase temptation. Still, Fulton said he was surprised by the brazen nature of the heist given park security and visibility. “I’m pretty shocked because there’s security, there’s cameras, there’s police all over the parks,” he said, adding that transporting heavy basins would likely require one or two people and a vehicle.
Historical context
Theft of metal sculptures and fixtures is not new. Past incidents included the removal of a roughly 80-pound bronze duckling from Central Park in 1973 and a bronze bust of engineer John Wolfe Ambrose taken from Battery Park in 1990. Those episodes underscore a recurring vulnerability for outdoor public art and amenities composed of valuable metals.
For now, park officials are balancing prompt repairs with the need to deter future losses. Upgrading to stainless steel basins is one strategy, and investigators will continue to review camera footage and patrol records to trace how and when the basins were removed. Meanwhile, visitors are urged to report suspicious activity and to be mindful of the strain that such damage places on communal spaces.