Fort Worth Water Gardens - Fort Worth TX - Water Gardens Designed in the New Urban Park Style

The Fort Worth Water Gardens, locate at 1502 Commerce St, Fort Worth, TX 76102, built in 1974, is located on the south end of downtown Fort Worth between Houston and Commerce Streets next to the Fort Worth Convention Center. This urban park is frequently billed as a "cooling oasis in the concrete jungle" of downtown Fort Worth. Its focal points are three pools of water and a terraced knoll. The quiet meditation pool is encircled with trees and features a flat, still body of water that cascades almost 90 degrees down to a sunken walkway.

The 4.3 acre (1.7 hectare) Water Gardens were designed by noted New York architects Phillip Johnson and John Burgee. It was dedicated to the City of Fort Worth by the Amon G. Carter Foundation. The Gardens is an architectural and engineering marvel to be enjoyed any time of the year. Visitors can experience a variety of water features as they wander through this relaxing urban park.

The aerating pool features multiple spray fountains. The main attraction of the Water Gardens is the active pool which has water cascading 38 feet down terraces and steps into a small pool at the bottom. It also has over 500 species of plants and trees throughout the park. Fort Worth's Water Gardens is a spectacular man-made creation. A crown jewel of Fort Worth, it is often used as a business, professional, and tourist venues. Many weddings are held here every year with the water gardens being a perfect backdrop for wedding pictures. Thousands of tourists visit the water of gardens every year, as it is a very popular stop for people visiting the area, especially in the hot summer months.

Originally, the active pool was built for people to be able to walk down the terraced steps and experience the water tumbling around them. Then tragedy struck and it was closed to the public after four people died there on June 16, 2004. Three children and one adult drowned after one of the children fell in the pool. It is mistakenly believed that the child jumped in to swim. The other three jumped in trying to save the child. At the time, the water was unusually deep due to a pump malfunction and heavy rains. The park was reopened in March 4, 2007, only after being made much safer by reducing the depth of the main pool from 9feet deep to 2feet deep.

This beautiful and refreshing oasis has been in the movies, the film Logan's Run was filmed in the active pool at the Water Gardens in 1976. The pool is also featured briefly at the end of the 1979 TV adaptation of The Lathe of Heaven. Phone: 817-871-5755