The frog waterspout has been reunited with The Family Fountain in St. George’s Square at last.
The frog has been affixed to the fountain for more than 30 years, but went missing in late October. It was found a few days later, although the city is still unsure how it was removed or who took it.
“The Frog Waterspout was conserved and reinstalled yesterday and is getting a polish today and tomorrow,” said Tammy Adkin, manager of museums and culture with the City of Guelph.
Minor restoration was completed in one day by a Gananoque-based conservation firm that specializes in the preservation, conservation and maintenance of sculptures. Adkin said the work was done as part of a conservation treatment plan for the Family Sculpture and Fountain.
She said the frog has been “firmly secured in a way that it cannot be removed,” so the chances of it hopping away again are low.
The waterspout is a part of the fountain that has “The Family” sculpture, which was unveiled in 1985. The frog was added to the fountain in 1987 as a gift from the fountain artist, William McElcheran.
Adkin said the city will begin to prepare the waterworks onside after the conservation work is finished this week, so the fountain will flow again by summer.
