What's Happening on the Trinity River

• Another Winner on the Trinity River!

  Jan 26, 2012

  
  From left to right-Lee Hill, Michael Bennett, Jim Oliver, Vic Henderson and JD Granger
  Photo courtesy of Dallas-Fort Worth Construction News

  Rodgers Road Pavilion (which is the home of Tim Love’s new restaurant, the Woodshed Smokehouse) won an award this week for design excellence from the American Institute of Architects. The building was designed by local architecture firm Bennett, Benner, Pettit for the Tarrant Regional Water District. The building was recognized for its exceptional use of an open public space that will serve not only as a restaurant but also as a new trailhead for movers and shakers on the Trinity Trails.

  The southeast corner of Rogers Road and Riverfront Drive is a small triangular piece of underutilized but well positioned property owned by the Tarrant Regional Water District. Located immediately adjacent to the Trinity River’s Clear Fork along the Trinity Trails system, the site offers both river views and trail access, making it an ideal location for an active outdoor restaurant environment and trailhead.  However, the site’s access to the river is also important to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in case of an emergency.  For that reason, needs of the Corps allow the Water District to make active use of the property but does not allow the District to transfer ownership.  That opportunity with limitations created an exciting public/private partnership with inspired design.

  The core of the design is a compound of buildings which form a casual outdoor dining courtyard opening onto the river and connecting to the trail system. In order to be environmentally friendly there is no air conditioning and shade is provided through preserving existing trees and with outward opening overhead doors which become canopies when open. Materials such as corrugated metal and exposed wood and wall ventilation fans reflect the industrial vernacular historically found along the river and in the nearby rail yards. In addition, all dinnerware used in the Woodshed will be biodegradable and the cups will be water soluble to help keep the neighboring Trinity River clean.

  In the words of the AIA jurors:

  “The success of this project can be credited to the restraint exercised in the execution. The limited budget was obvious, but the simple pallet of materials combined with reserved detailing, resulted in a product of honesty and enduring strength.  The density of the exterior entry side of the complex gives way to openness on the occupied side, which coupled with the arrangement of the various buildings, produces a very effective public space.” - jurors Julie Snow, FAIA of Julie Snow Architects in Minneapolis, MN, Mark Wellen, AIA of Rhotenberry Wellen Architects in Midland, TX and Chris Carson, FAIA of Ford Powell and Carson Architects and Planners in San Antonio, TX.

  The award was accepted at a banquet Tuesday, Jan. 24^th by:
  

  Michael Bennett, Principal and CEO, Bennett Benner Pettit
  Vic Henderson, Board President, Tarrant Regional Water District
  Jim Oliver, General Manager, Tarrant Regional Water District
  JD Granger, Director of Trinity River Development, Tarrant Regional Water District

  
  

• Final Trinity River Trout Stocking of the Season

  Jan 16, 2012
  

  Thursday, January 19^th will be the final Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) trout stocking in the Trinity River of the season. It will begin at 9:00am in River Park and TRWD is teaming up with Cabela’s to provide everyone on that attend the stocking with a free fly to fish with. In addition to the free fly, there will also be a $25 gift card to Cabela’s awarded to the first catch of the day. See you Thursday!  
  

  
  

• Local Anglers Cast a Line in the Trinity River

  Dec 22, 2011

  

  Anxious Anglers Await the Trout’s Arrival

  
  

  Last week Fort Worth’s finest anglers got their trout fix on the Trinity River. For the 25^th year in a row theTarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) released 2,500 trout in the river at Trinity Park and boy were the anglers excited. The trout release is one of many ways TRWD promotes recreation along the river, "One of the things we at the water district always like to do is to bring people down to the river," said Rick Carroll, TRWD Land & Right of Way Manager. "And so what better opportunity than to have a rainbow trout fishery in our own backyard."

  
  

  Did you miss the release? Fear not fine fishermen (and women!), the trout that weren’t caught since the release will survive the winter in the river. So as long as you have a pole and a valid Texas fishing license, you can hit the river and try to round up the shy ones that got away.

  
  

  Future Dates:

  1/4  TexasParks and Wildlife, Trinity Park at 9:00 a.m.    

  1/5  Texas Parks and Wildlife, River Park at 9:00a.m.

  1/19 Tarrant Regional Water District, River Park at 9:00 a.m.

  
  

  
  

• TRV Scores Hat Trick with Public Policy, Smart Growth and Recreation Awards!

  Dec 13, 2011

  
  

  
  

• Urban Development a Main Focus at Mayor’s Big Brainstorm Event

  Dec 09, 2011
  
  

  
  

  Last Friday the Mayor asked young leaders around Fort Worth to join together and brainstorm some solutions for problems that most concerned their generation. Over 250 people attended the event ready to have their voices heard. The Big Brainstorm event was designed to give Fort Worth young residents the opportunity to identify, prioritize and address issues of concern to them in order to help the City of Fort Worth set the foundation for future planning. The series was a collaboration between the Mayor’s young leaders initiative, Steer FW, Leadership Fort Worth and Vision Fort Worth.

   

  The event focused on four major areas and asked participants to identify the specific needs they wanted to be addressed within each area. A task force will be created to address each specific issue voted on by attendees at Friday’s event. The specific tasks that will be focused on are as follows:

  
  

  Public transportation

  “Comprehensive implementation of both commuter and streetcar system.”

  Education

  “Strengthen partnerships between the community, corporations and schools for mentoring opportunities.”

  Urban Development

  “Fort Worth needs development that includes sustainability standards that encompass a balance/focus on environmental, economic and social consciousness for all local communities.”

  Employment

  “We need to create strong perception and brand for the city that will stimulate emerging entrepreneurial business such as tech/healthcare/green/research industries to grow into large employers for our city. “

   

  TRVA was excited about these four issues because they are on the forefront of what we are hoping to accomplish. Trinity Uptown will increase urban development in Fort Worth drastically and will create over 16,000 permanent jobs. Zoning standards in Trinity Uptown will require high density and pedestrian friendly development which will lend itself favorably to public transportation. This style of high density development also encourages sustainable growth and is more economically friendly than urban sprawl.  In addition, theTRV TIF has already raised over $14 million for FWISD.

   

  Kudos to the City of Fort Worth for listening to its young people and we look forward to supporting this effort! 

  
  

  
  

• TRVA Executive Director, JD Granger, Honored as Keynote Speaker

  Dec 06, 2011

  

  
  

  Last week TRVA Executive Director, JD Granger, was the keynote speaker at North Central Texas Regional Certification Association's (NCTRCA) 2011 Gala. The event recognized disadvantaged, minority and women-owned business enterprises from throughout the North Texas Region. The gala also celebrated the ingenuity, creativity, tenacity and hard work of all NCTRCA's local companies.

  
  

  If you are interested in having a TRVA representative speak to an organization, group or at an event you can sign up here or contact Matt Oliver (817-698-0700) for more information. 
  
  

• New Pedestrian Bridge Will Connect Cultural District to Downtown

  Dec 01, 2011

  

  
  

  Come April there will be a new way for pedestrians and cyclists to safely cross the Trinity River to get from the cultural district to downtown and back. Streams and Valleys, Inc. and the City of Fort Worth worked together to secure the funds necessary to build the Phyllis Tilley Memorial Bridge which is a 384-foot Stress Ribbon style bridge that will be the first of its kind to be constructed in the United Sates.

  
  

  The new bridge will be named in memory of one of Streams and Valley’s founders and was designed by Boston architect Miguel Rosales in coordination with Fort Worth’s Freese and Nichols.

  
  

  
  

  Construction for the bridge footprint as of late November.

  
  

  Tilley Bridge will be located just south of the Lancaster Street Bridge and will connect to an existing section of the Trinity Trails on the east side of the river.  It is expected to be completed by Aprilof 2012. 

  
  

  
  

• New Mountain Biking Trails at Gateway Park

  Nov 28, 2011

  

  Volunteers working to create a new mountain bike trail in Gateway Park

  
  

  Fort Worth Mountain Bikers’ Association (FWMBA) members aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty and they have the trails to prove it. FWMBA has built several mountain biking trails around Fort Worth and they’re in the process of creating another. Currently, FWMBA have seven miles of trails in Marion Sansom Park and four miles of trails in Gateway Park but they’re building more! In addition to the existing trails, FWMBA members began work on a new trail in Gateway Park in early November. 

  
  

  
  

  The existing trail is in red and the trail under being constructed is in green.

  
  

  All of the work to create new trails is done by FWMBA volunteers and they use money raised by the club for supplies. In total FWMBA has contributed nearly 7,000 man-hours to building and maintaining their trails.

  The trails design utilizes smart design to ensure trail life, especially through harsh weather.  While planning the trail route, volunteers avoid removing trees and try to work around nature rather than build through it. Trail construction also avoids natural game trails the wildlife in the park use.

  
  

  If you’re interested in helping with the next build day you’ll want to contact FWMBA President, Larry Colvin, at 817-991-5474 or visit www.FWMBA.org. The next trail building day will be  December 3^rd at 9:00am in Gateway Park. 

  
  

  
  

• TRVA Focuses on Helping Local Contractors

  Nov 11, 2011
  
  

  
  

  On Monday, TRVA hosted a workshop to help local companies prepare for upcoming bid opportunities. There was a moderated discussion with panelists who talked about contracting processes from their agency’s perspective. Discussion focused on topics like types of bidding tools, bonding and insurance requirements, common mistakes, bid presentation, the necessity of a pre-bid meeting, schedule requirements and more. Over 75 people attended the event. The panelists were as follows:

  • Saji Alummuttil, Project Manager, United States Army Corps of Engineers
  • June L. Wohlbach, Chief, Civil Works/Operations Division, United States Army Corps of Engineers
  • Woody Frossard, Environmental Director/Project Manager, Trinity River Vision Authority
  • Shanna Cate, Fair Contracting Administrator, Trinity River Vision Authority
  • Pat Buckley P.E., Senior Engineer/Project Manager, City of Fort Worth
  • William Johnson, Asst. Director of Housing and Economic Development (BAC and M/WBE Offices),City of Fort Worth

  Another contracting event will be available in the form of a Primavera software training workshop on November 17 and 18. The workshop will provide an overview of Oracle Primavera P6 version 7.0. Participants will be exposed to P6’s capabilities for project planning, scheduling, control and analysis. While these workshops are normally over $2,000, TRVA is offering it for $300. Click here to register. 

  
  

  
  

• TRVA Highlighted at National Flood Protection Conference

  Nov 03, 2011

  

  
  

  TRVA Executive Director, J.D. Granger, was asked to speak this week at the National Association of Flood & Stormwater Management Agencies (NAFSMA) 2011 Annual Meeting. He joined other local sponsors from across the country on a panel addressing how to keep US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) projects moving forward. The TRVA has been recognized nationally for their great relationship with the USACE. The cooperative partnership developed in executing the TRV – Central City Project has become a model for others to learn from.

  
  

  NAFSMA is an organization whose function is the protection of lives, property and economic activity from the adverse impacts of storm and flood waters. The mission of the Association is to advocate public policy, encourage technologies and conduct education programs which facilitate and enhance the achievement of the public service function of its members.
  
  

• More Than Just a Riverfront Campus in Trinity Uptown

  Oct 20, 2011

  
  

  Photo courtesy of the Fort Worth Business Press

  
  

  The new Tarrant County College (TCC) Trinity River East Campus was designed to be more than a college campus. A team of architects worked to create a structure that would combine education and public spaces as well as serve as a connection between downtown Fort Worth, the Trinity River and Trinity Uptown.  In an interview with Fort Worth Magazine, principal architect Bing Thom said, “In essence we have dissolved the bluff. Belknap Street will now be a gateway to the water, no longer a barrier to accessing the Trinity and its trail system. We hope the community will be inspired to use the space for gatherings, both organized as well as spontaneous.”

   

  The 131,000-square-foot riverfront medical training facility promotes pedestrian traffic and will soon be connected to the Trinity Trails with a new access point, sponsored by the Tarrant Regional Water District, set to be completed this spring.   

  
  

  Vancouver based architecture firm Bing Thom and Associates worked with Fort Worth based architects at GideonToal to design and complete the TCC Trinity River East Campus. 
  
  

• An Exciting Weekend in Trinity Uptown

  Oct 13, 2011
  
  

  
  

  Trinity Uptown will be buzzing this weekend as thousands of people flock to the area to get their fill of culture and fun.
  
  

  On October 15^th (noon-11pm) and 16^th (noon-6pm) the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce(FWHCC) will host Musicarte, a colorful and exciting celebration of Latin cultures where food, drink, art, music and fun come together.

  
  

  Located at Panther Island Pavilion, musical acts will include performances by Los Lonely Boys, Bleu Edmondson, The Kumbia Kings and more. In addition, Musicarte features live dance performances and lessons and even a kid’s zone. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the event.

  
  

  Musicarte benefits the Scholarship Fund of the FWHCC and raised $170,000 last year for Fort Worth area high school seniors. 

  
  

  

  
  

  In addition to Musicarte, Trinity Uptown will host Ranch Bash at LaGrave Field on Saturday, October 15^th. This year’s performers include Casey Donahew Band, Roger Creager, Brandon Rhyder, Whiskey Myers, Ryan Turner and more. Gates open at 11:30am, rain or shine and tickets are available for purchase in advance ($9.59) as well as the day of the show ($20.00). Click here to purchase online.
  
  

• The Future of Fort Worth: Have Your Voice Heard

  Oct 06, 2011

  
  

  
  

  Have you ever wanted to tell city leaders what you want Fort Worth to look like in the future? Well here’s your chance.
  

  
  

  Vision Fort Worth, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce’s young professionals group, is conducting a community visioning survey aimed at learning how young professionals (age 21-40) see Fort Worth at present and asks them to imagine the city in 2035. Vision Fort Worth hopes to use this information to attract and retain young professionals in years to come. This information is of upmost importance because as 23 million Baby Boomers retire there are only 10 million Gen Xs and Gen Ys to take their place in the workforce. This means cities will have to compete more to attract and retain young professionals.

  
  

  The survey covers a number of issues including: education, public transportation, nightlife, safety, “third spaces” (arts, parks and other outdoor spaces), entrepreneurship opportunities and more. All of the study’s feedback will be discussed at a Town Hall meeting in late spring for additional brainstorming and then presented to city leaders.

  
  

  One thing young professionals can look forward to in the coming years is the development in Trinity Uptown. This area of town will be the largest mixed-use development in Fort Worth and aims to create a model “live, work, play” environment. Smarter zoning will encourage sustainable central city growth which projects three million square feet of commercial space and 10,000 mixed-income households, creating an ideal environment along the river for young professionals and new business alike. 

  
  

  
  

• TRV’s Innovative Approach to Flood Control: a Major Focus at National Waterways Convention

  Sep 29, 2011

  

  National Waterways Conference attendees listen to J.D. Granger present in the TRVA education center.

  
  

  Last week we were lucky enough to present the TRV master plan at the National Waterways Conference (NWC) Annual Meeting. TRV Executive Director, J.D. Granger, presented the project to hundreds of industry experts and agency leaders, including top level officials from the US Army Corps of Engineers. After the presentation, conference attendees headed over to our education center for a luncheon and a more in-depth look at the TRV master plan. The TRV project is of great interest to the NWC because of our innovative plan to improve flood control while providing environmental enhancements, increased recreational amenities, and the opportunity for a vibrant urban waterfront neighborhood in Fort Worth. 
  
  

  Special thanks to the Tarrant Regional Water District for sponsoring the conference this year. 

  
  

• Another Trash Bash Success!

  Sep 27, 2011

  
  

  Volunteers pick up trash along the river bank near Crystelle Waggoner Trailhead. 

  
  

  The 20^th annual Trinity River Trash Bash, sponsored by the Tarrant Regional Water District, has come and gone and boy did we bash some trash! How much trash you ask? In two short hours volunteers collected 25 tires and 9.4 TONS of trash!

  
  

  Over 1,800 groups, families and individuals signed up to come out bright and early Saturday morning to six different locations spread all across the Trinity Trails in Fort Worth to help beautify the Trinity River. A new location this year, the Crystelle Waggoner Trailhead off University Dr., was extremely successful. Over 500 volunteers helped clean-up that location and collected 103 bags of trash!   

  
  

  After the pick-up, volunteers headed over to Panther Island Pavilion in Trinity Uptown for an after party full of free food, door prizes and entertainment by Radio Disney. Over 20 prizes were awarded including the grand prize, an iPad2!

  
  

  Trash Bash would not have been possible without help from generous sponsors Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group, Tarrant County Credit Union, Akzo Nobel, Little Caesars Pizza, Fort Worth Cats, City of Fort Worth, Star-Telegram, HDR, LAN, Trinity River Environmental Education Society (T.R.E.E.S.), Radio Disney, Ricca Chemical Company and Parsons Brinckerhoff.

  
  

  Anyone interested in keeping the river clean throughout the year should visit the Adopt-A-River page or contact Rachel Navejar (817-335-2491) to learn more about becoming involved. 

  
  

  
  

• Cobb Park Construction Rolls on!

  Aug 16, 2011
  One of the City’s oldest parks is getting a serious makeover! Phase 1 of the Cobb Park Master Plan started earlier this year. Thanks to the partnership between the City of Fort Worth and the Tarrant Regional Water District, soon residents in Southeast Fort Worth are going to see some major improvements to the park. The Cobb Park Master Plan is part of the Neighborhood and Recreation Enhancement Plan. It will connect residents of Southeast Fort Worth to the Trinity Trails.   

  
  

  
  

  
  

  The residents of Southeast Fort Worth asked and they shall receive! Here are some of the amazing amenities included in Phase 1 of the plan:

  • 4,000 square foot playground
  • Three park gazebos
  • 45-car parking lot
  • Entry monuments at East Berry St. and East Berry St. South
  • Thinning of tree cover and undergrowth
  • Security lighting along the new road, parking lot and play areas
  • New park road and pedestrian/vehicle bridge connecting East and West side of the Park
  
  

• Wherever you go, there you are

  Jul 22, 2011
  
  

  
  With over 40 miles of trails stretching along the banks of the beautiful Trinity River in Fort Worth, it can be easy for a person to get caught up in the scenery. Of course, escaping reality is a major goal of many trail users, but in the unfortunate case of a trail emergency, there is nothing a person will want more than to know EXACTLY where they are and how to get help to the scene quickly.

  
  

  That is why the Tarrant Regional Water District is installing new signage every 1,000 feet along the trails that tells users exactly what location to tell the police when seeking assistance. The need for this type of signage was expressed by user groups and neighborhoods during the TRV Master Plan meetings and is included in the TRV Neighborhood and Recreation Enhancement Plan.

   

  View NBC 5's report on this security enhancement here.

  
  

  
  

• TRV Central City Project Delivery Team receives Top USACE Award

  Jul 07, 2011

  
  

  Fort Worth District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Central City Project Delivery Team has been named the winner of the first 

  USACE Sustainability Award’s Good Neighbor Category.  

  
  

  The Central City Project is located within the vicinity of the downtown area of Fort Worth, Texas, along the West Fork and Clear Fork of the Trinity River and consists of a bypass channel, levee system, and associated improvements to divert flood flows around a segment of the already existing floodway system.

   

  The USACE Sustainability awards program was established this year to recognize and reward excellence for the development, management and transferability of activities, and or programs that improve environmental quality, enhance the mission and help USACE reach its sustainability goals.

   

  The Good Neighbor Award category that the Central City Project took top honors in, specifically recognizes a USACE team, project, or facility for its exemplary application of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, Livability  Principles and or engagement with local or regional communities to promote one or more of the goals of Executive Order 13514 – the establishment of an integrated strategy towards sustainability in the Federal Government and to make reduction of greenhouse gas emission (GHG) a priority for Federal agencies.

   

  “The Central City team led by SWF Project Manager Saji Alummuttil and our project partners have achieved many successes with the project and this award is yet another example of how key our  partnerships are to the success of our projects,” said Col. R.J. Muraski, Jr., Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District.

  
  

  
  

• Fort Worth's First Kayak Rental Company to Launch this Saturday on the Trinity River

  Jul 07, 2011

  
  

  
  

  Beginning July 9, outdoor enthusiasts will have an affordable, convenient way to experience the increasingly popular adventure sport of kayaking, right in the heart of Fort Worth . 
   
  Centrally located just north of downtown near the Panther Island Pavilion in Trinity Uptown — at the end of Taylor Street just north of Belknap Street — Kool City Kayaks offers hourly kayak rental and easy access to the Trinity River . Located on the banks of the river near where the Clear and West forks divide, Kool City Kayaks is open for the summer season every Saturday and Sunday from dawn until an hour before dusk. Kayakers can begin their adventure from a sandy beach launch area that offers quick access to both forks of the river.  
   
  Single kayaks are available for rent by the hour and include a personal flotation device, paddle and safety whistle. Rates are $15 for the first hour and $10 for each additional hour. Rentals are first come, first served; however reservations can be made for a group event.
   
  Kool City Kayaks is owned and operated by Fort Worth resident, Angelica Alaniz.
   
  For customer convenience, cash and credit cards are accepted and group reservations can be made by visiting www.KoolCityKayaks.com or via email to info@KoolCityKayaks.com.
   
  For more information regarding the press release, contact Angelica Alaniz at 817-964-5960 
  
  

  
  

• People Who Make "Rockin' the River" Rock!

  Jul 01, 2011
  Working the sign-in tent at the tubing events, I have the privilege of being the first one to seeing people and their happy, smiling faces as they walk up to the event. But some people stand out a little more than the rest, and these people are the best in my book. Here are a few of my favorite sights from the past two events. Way to be awesome, people! Keep it coming!