FRANK KENT’S DREAM PARK
Frank Kent brought a lot of joy to a lot of people as a philanthropist in his life. Tuesday the Fort Worth City Council honored his legacy by naming the new universal playground to be constructed at Trinity Park after him. It will be known as Frank Kent’s Dream Park.
Dream Park Fort Worth (DPFW), a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, has contracted with the city to design and construct the new park, along with committing to raise $2.99 million to fully fund the design and installation of the 21,000 square-foot fully accessible playground.
Upon completion the organization will donate the improvements to the city and establish a $250,000 safety surface replacement endowment fund.
In order to raise the funds for the project, DPFW applied for and received grants and donations from philanthropic institutions, private foundations, community service-based nonprofits, businesses and individuals. As part of its fundraising strategy, DPFW solicited sponsorships for specific elements within the playground. Major sponsors and contributors will be recognized on a project donor wall.
“We are pleased to honor Mr. Kent with this naming,” said District 9 Councilwoman Ann Zadeh, in whose district the park resides.
Kent (1895-1987) made a life-long philanthropic effort toward the betterment of life for the citizens of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, and the state of Texas. His significant contributions to benefit Fort Worth specifically included youth and children.
In a bio about her great grandfather, Corrie Watson wrote:
“Mr. Kent passed this moral thread down to his granddaughter and she passed it on to Will (Churchill) and me. It is: ‘You do not help others to get the recognition, you help others to help them grow and succeed. This is all the recognition you need, is to see others succeed.’
“Mr. Kent was a very lively and well-known person in the Fort Worth community and was proud to call it home. He did make large donations to the community that would bring him attention, but his greatest gifts that he gave to the community were the small ones that only those receiving them knew about.”
She described the naming of Frank Kent’s Dream Park as “It is our thank you to a man who gave so much, so quietly to our community and set up the ability for us to continue and serve the members of our team we work with daily, the citizens of Fort Worth and all who will benefit from the ability to be able to play and laugh again at Dream Park.”
A plaque will be placed in the vicinity of the playground recognizing Kent’s community contributions and legacy of philanthropy.