\u201cWe want to raise the awareness of Gateway Park \u2026 because it\u2019s kind of hidden,\u201d Herring said. \u201cA lot of people may have heard of it, but they don\u2019t know where it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
The organization first presented itself to the public at a Fort Worth City Council meeting in September, announcing its dedication to the timely implementation of the park\u2019s master plan<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The group formed after its members began brainstorming how they can help city leaders prioritize the park.<\/p>\n As part of the coalition\u2019s mission, it actively meets with council members and parks staffers to give them a say in which of the master plan\u2019s projects will be funded through the 2026 bond program, if approved by voters.\u00a0<\/p>\n The park is slated to receive $25 million if the bond program gains favor<\/a>. While the parks department\u2019s major projects are mostly dependent on city bonds, officials are avidly on the lookout for grants and other private investments.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf we can get $25 million, we can build some great destination-type facilities,\u201d McElhany said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Private dollars could bring even more amenities into the park, such as equestrian sites or an amphitheater, he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to take a real proactive stance with that,\u201d McElhany said.\u00a0<\/p>\n But such funds won\u2019t be enough to sustain the $140 million price tag of the master plan.\u00a0<\/p>\n As a result, Herring and his fellow board members want to continue fostering a partnership with city officials and help identify additional funds.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are some very serious discussions going on inside City Hall and outside about getting additional dollars,\u201d Herring said. \u201cWe just want to keep the city\u2019s feet to the fire and keep their attention focused in that direction.\u201d<\/p>\n Disclosure: Gateway Park Action Coalition executive board member Carlos Canizares is married to the Report\u2019s assistant managing editor, Eva-Marie Ayala.<\/p>\n Nicole Lopez is the environment reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at nicole.lopez@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20251228_GatewayPark--1024x503.png\")
The redevelopment of Gateway Park is broken up into phases to focus on different parts of the natural area. Fort Worth will begin new projects on the westernmost portion of the park. (Courtesy image | City of Fort Worth)<\/p>\n