The park is named for the 9-year-old son of billionaire Kelcy Warren.
Klyde Warren Park will create an urban green space over the existing Woodall Rodgers Freeway between Pearl and St. Paul streets. It will provide connectivity to the city’s flourishing Arts District, bring cultural offerings together and serve as a central gathering space for Dallas and its visitors to enjoy.
In addition to a restaurant and performance stage, plans for the park include jogging trails, a dog park, a children’s playground, fountains, an area for games and much more.
Construction is funded through a public, private partnership including $20 million in bond funds from the city of Dallas, $20 million in highway funds from the state and federal government through TxDOT and nearly $50 million from private donations. In March 2009, the Park was selected to receive $16.7 million in stimulus funds that are specifically for transportation enhancement construction. The Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation continues to raise private donations to fund amenity construction, operations and programming.
The design and construction of the park is being managed by Bjerke Management Solutions and the design is led by two nationally recognized design firms, The Office of James Burnett and Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. The head engineer on file is Mir Hadi Ali, P.E. from Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc.
Klyde Warren Park will be privately managed and programmed by the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation. Jody Grant serves as Chairman of the Board of the Woodall Rodgers Foundation and is joined by President and C.E.O., Linda Owen, and board members Elaine Agather, Nancy Best, Garrett Boone, Leo Corrigan, Ed Fjordbak, Sheila Grant, Linda Hart, Mitch Hart, Jeff Jackson, Tom Leppert, John Muse, Bob Shapard, Rob Walters, Kelcy Warren and John Zogg.
That’s a lot of taxpayer funds for a park that will require expensive maintenance.