Fort Worth buys 275 acres to create city’s largest community park. Here’s what to expect
When it opens, Rock Creek Ranch Park is expected to be Fort Worth’s largest community park.
The city has purchased 275 acres in southwest Fort Worth for $6.75 million. The land is southeast of Benbrook Lake near the Rocky Creek Ranch housing development.
Development of the park isn’t expected until after the 2026 bond election, but district 6 council member Jared Williams said the purchase represents a big win for the city.
Williams, who represents southwest Fort Worth and has a doctorate in environmental science, said the park represents an opportunity to protect Fort Worth’s vital prairie ecosystem while also providing amenities for residents.
“I think that’s important when you think about it from a standpoint of mental and physical health, and also the pride that outdoor spaces generate in people in connection to their sense of place,” Williams said. He also relished the opportunity for kids in southwest Fort Worth to use the park as a way to connect to nature.
Williams led a program at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas that helped connect youth to careers in environmental STEM through exposure to nature. He said the future Rock Creek Ranch Park will provide a similar service by creating a space where children can discover their passion for environmental sciences.
Funding will need to be identified before any work on the park can begin, the Parks Department wrote in a statement. This will enable the department to develop a plan for amenities.
“The uniqueness of this property will enable both traditional park amenities such as picnic areas, sports fields, and other active gathering spaces as well as native and natural spaces such as trails and interpretive areas,” the statement read.
Both Williams and the department said the park will balance the need to conserve the natural environment while developing amenities for a growing Fort Worth. 40 acres will be set aside for preservation as part of the city’s Open Space Conservation Program.
That program is a partnership between the city of Fort Worth and the nonprofit Trust For Public Land that identifies and preserves Fort Worth’s most important natural areas.
Once funding for the park is secured, the department said it will work with a design firm to “assess the property” before holding a series of public meetings about what should be in the park.
The department said the process will be similar to the one that developed Chisholm Trail Park, which includes a soccer field, skate park, and community center along with areas for fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing.
Williams said he’d like the city to partner to see with nonprofits like the Audubon Society and the Botanical Research Institute of Texas to offer educational programs at the park. His hope is that these programs will generate a sense of curiosity among Fort Worth residents that inspires them to protect the city’s natural landscape.
“It creates a sense of pride that we have a role to play in the city’s conservation efforts,” he said.
This story was originally published December 22, 2021 at 12:08 PM.
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