Fort Worth council hires firm to assess water gardens aging infrastructure March 19

Completed in 1974, the Fort Worth Water Gardens rely upon plumbing and other equipment that is 50 years old. As part of the 2022 bond, the project will focus on the renovation and replacement of degrading infrastructure.

The details

According to a city news release, Fort Worth City Council approved spending $366,877 on a contract for an engineering firm to evaluate the park’s infrastructure during its regular meeting March 19. Freese & Nichols, a Frisco-based engineering firm that’s been in business for 130 years and has previous experience with the water gardens, will analyze several aspects of the attraction, including:

• Pipes and pump systems
• Lighting and operating systems
• Concrete pavement

Evidence compiled by Freese & Nichols engineers will be used to guide a final design and construction of the improvements, according to the news release.

A closer look

The news release states that the water gardens is a 4.3-acre park that was designed by New York architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee. A total of $6.5 million was set aside from the 2022 bond program to provide upgrades as part of the water gardens renovation project.

According to the news release, the project coincides with the larger convention center expansion effort that is currently underway adjacent to the water gardens.