Rendering Courtesy of the City of Fort Worth
The north end of downtown Fort Worth is about to get a $1 million boost — and possibly a long-overdue glow-up. The BNSF Railway Foundation has pledged $1 million to Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives Inc. (DFWII) to support the Heritage and Paddock parks project, which aims to transform a stretch of neglected green space into a dynamic civic amenity.
With the BNSF pledge, the total identified funding now stands at nearly $44 million toward a $55 million goal, according to the City’s website. Plans for the overhaul include water features, public art, shaded seating, children’s play areas, nighttime lighting, and reworked pedestrian access that connects downtown to the Trinity River below.
Heritage Park has been closed since 2007 due to safety issues. But the spark for its revival came from Fort Worth philanthropist Ruth Carter Stevenson, who rallied civic leaders around the idea of restoring Heritage Plaza — an urban landscape created by Lawrence Halprin that’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives Inc., in partnership with the city, took over the project’s design and fundraising efforts. “These parks will bring people back to where Fort Worth began. From the top of the bluff to the river, these public spaces will be reclaimed for everyone to enjoy,” said Mayor Mattie Parker.
According to a project summary, Paddock Park will feature a shallow pool, waterfall, shaded decks, and evening lighting. Heritage Park’s design includes the “Canopy Walk”—a winding trail through the trees — a bluffside balcony, and “river stairs” that lead to a new landing at the water’s edge. All spaces are envisioned as festival-ready public venues.
Andy Taft, president of DFWII, told the Fort Worth Report that construction could begin in 2026, with an estimated 18 to 24 months of construction to follow. He also mentioned that by December 2025, the organization hoped to wrap up design work, engineering, approvals, and fundraising. "By that time, we should have a very good sense of whether our current fundraising goal is sufficient,” he said. “If not, fundraising will continue.”
Rendering Courtesy of the City of Fort Worth
The city’s share of the cost is capped at $19 million, and additional funding comes from voter-approved bonds, the Downtown Tax Increment Finance District, and more than $15 million from the Regional Transportation Council. Of the nearly $44 million raised or identified as of January, $5.2 million came from private donors. That includes a $1 million lead gift from the Amon G. Carter Foundation.
Louise Appleman, who co-chairs the fundraising campaign with Randy Gideon said:“Heritage and Paddock parks are city and county open space gems in the rough. This project will transform the north end of downtown by converting unused park land into beautiful, active spaces for residents, visitors and guests to enjoy.”
If all goes according to plan, what was once a closed-off bluff could soon become one of Fort Worth’s signature gathering places — a place that honors the city’s origins while making space for its future.
