The rather gigantic project is about building a “Nature District” along the “Trinity River Corridor” covering a massive area, around 10,000 acres, of land making it the largest of its kind in the United States – between 10 and 12 times bigger than the Central Park in Manhattan.
The Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, the landscape architectural experts, are the designers of the Trinity River Park project. The completed project will include flora, walkways, sports facilities, and promises a huge amount of greenery in this predominantly arid state of Texas, besides many other public amenities.
According to Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, the Trinity River Park “will redefine Dallas for the 21st century.”
One part of the staggering project is the Harold Simmons Park named after the well-known billionaire Harold Simmons funded by Annette Simmons, his widow. She is reported to have donated $50 million toward the project which will cover 285 acres of the Trinity River Park.
Rather than explain in words the picture below will give you an idea of how the land looks today.
However, being in a flood zone as per FEMA rules, before the groundbreaking ceremony can take place, the U.S. Corps of Engineers have to validate the plans presented by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates.
According to reports Michael Vaughn Valkenburgh is supposed to have said in a conference that rain water will be a welcome factor, in that, the design enables excess water to drain into what is called bioswales, which in turn are designed to remove silt and filth and basically absorb the flood water with the help of gently sloped sides of the drainage course.
”I believe we can create the most value and the greatest benefit to our citizens when we complete projects around nature,” Mayor Rawlings said about the Trinity River Project.
