FORT WORTH, Texas (Feb. 15 , 2023) — Following a yearlong communitywide effort, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden submitted a final master plan Jan. 24 to the Fort Worth City Council, which approved the plan last night.
Highlights of the 20-year plan include creation of a family garden, a new arrival and entry sequence from University Drive, a permanent stage for art and cultural performances, a culinary garden, new educational spaces and more. The process took just over a year working with a Master Planning Committee comprising consultants, local garden associations, Fort Worth ISD, Garden and BRIT board and staff members, along with other community advocates who submitted feedback during nine public engagement meetings or via online.
“This plan belongs to the people of Fort Worth, and we are grateful to all of those in the community who participated in creating an extraordinary vision of what this beautiful botanic garden could become,” said Fort Worth Botanic Garden President and CEO Patrick Newman. “One of the things that came out in the master planning process is that this is much more than a place to see plants — it’s a place where the community gathers to create emotional souvenirs.”
Key goals for the master plan included:
- An inclusive, clearly defined and easily shared vision and mission embracing the strengths and assets of both institutions.
- Sustainable buildings and landscapes demonstrating locally adapted development and how to achieve it.
- Design concepts and site elements that celebrate both institutions and bring them together into a unified, cohesive campus.
- A strong foundation for programming that supports the mission, improved guest experience, and growth in generated revenue.
Studio Outside landscape architects led the consultant planning effort, along with architects from Bennett Partners, and public engagement facilitators from DEI Consultants, LLC.
The City of Fort Worth Park & Recreation Advisory Board endorsed the plan in late 2022.
For more information about the planning and public engagement process, visit: fwbg.org/masterplan
