Fort Worth Water Gardens

Fort Worth Water Gardens, 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. The 4.3 acre (1.7 hectare) Water Gardens were designed by noted New York architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee and was dedicated to the City of Fort Worth by the Amon G. Carter Foundation.

The urban park is frequently billed as a "cooling oasis in the concrete jungle" of downtown. Its focal points are three pools of water and a terraced knoll, which helps to shield the park from adjacent Interstate 30. The quiet meditation pool is encircled with trees and features a flat, still plane of water that cascades almost 90 degrees down to a sunken walkway. The aerating pool features multiple spray fountains. The main attraction of the Water Gardens is the active pool which has water cascading 38 feet (11 m) down terraces and steps into a small pool at the bottom. It also has over 500 species of plants and trees throughout the park.

The active pool was originally built for people to be able to walk down the terraced steps and experience the water tumbling around them. 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 went swimming in the pool. The other three jumped in trying to save the child. The water was unusually deep due to a recirculating pump malfunction and heavy rains. The park was reopened in March 4, 2007 after being made safer by reducing the depth of the main pool from convert|9|ft|m|abbr=on. to convert|2|ft|m|abbr=on.

Part of 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.

External links

* [http://www.fortworth.com/01visitors/0104parksgard/010405watergardens/010405watergardens.shtml Water Gardens Page] - Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau
* [http://www.fortwortharchitecture.com/water.htm Fort Worth Water Gardens architecture]