The Perot Family Donates $5 Million to Klyde Warren Park
DALLAS (December 2, 2021) -- Klyde Warren Park today announced a $5 million gift from the Perot family to name its children’s park after the Park’s founders. The naming of the Sheila and Jody Grant Children’s Park will mark the first feature to be named after the Grants, who led the effort beginning in 2004 to create Klyde Warren Park. They are also spearheading its previously announced Enhancements and Expansion Project expected to be completed in 2024.
Since its creation, the Children’s Park has served hundreds of thousands of children each year, at no cost to their families. The Enhancements and Expansion Project includes enlarging the children’s area from 12,000 square feet to 18,000 square feet and will add exciting new, state-of-the-art play equipment, including a climbing tower, a children’s climbing wall, new balance and spinning elements, an additional water feature, and a shaded picnic area, which can be used for birthday parties or other fun family celebrations. An entirely new play surface will be installed throughout, existing restrooms will be updated, and pristine new landscaping will be added.
“Without Sheila and Jody Grant, there would simply be no Klyde Warren Park,” said Margot Perot. “This gift honors their courage and commitment in developing this wonderful Park for all of Dallas to enjoy. I can’t think of a greater privilege than putting the Grants’ name on the newly expanded Children’s Park, commemorating their selfless service and creative passion in making this dream for Dallas come true.”
“Sheila and I are beyond honored by this generous and thoughtful gift by the Perot family,” said Jody Grant, chairman of the board of the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation. “The Perots have been such dear friends of ours, and of our beloved Klyde Warren Park, since its inception. We are incredibly grateful for this meaningful gift and the lasting joy it will bring to our community’s many children.”
Sheila Grant, Klyde Warren Park co-founder, added, “One of our initial missions was to create a special place for families to come together in the heart of our fabulous city. The family’s generous gift will prove catalytic to building on our momentum and growth. They have been longtime advocates for the city of Dallas and an encouraging force behind the Park’s success. We are simply thrilled and deeply touched by this most meaningful gift and so pleased that the real beneficiaries will be the children and families who will love and enjoy this expanded park for decades to come.”
The Children’s Park expansion is estimated to take five months, with construction beginning in early 2022. While the Children’s Park is under construction, Klyde Warren Park will feature special children’s programming throughout other areas of the park.
“The Children’s Park has always been one of the most popular destinations within the Park, and this expansion will give our youngest visitors even more room to learn, explore and imagine,” said Kit Sawers, Klyde Warren Park President. “From day one, it was determined that this unique and entertaining space needed to be bigger. Children and their families stay for hours enjoying the equipment, engaging in creative play and making new friends.”
The Sheila and Jody Grant Children’s Park is one of several elements planned as part of Klyde Warren Park’s Phase 2.0 project. Within the existing Park, the lawn closest to Pearl Street will showcase the Nancy Best Fountain, offering children and families another welcoming water feature. My Best Friend’s Park, a beloved amenity for Dallas dogs and their owners, has been relocated across the street to a bigger and shadier space.
Additionally, beginning in 2022, the Park is expanding 1.7 acres to the west toward Field Street, covering the last recessed part of Woodall Rodgers Freeway. Plans include a Gensler designed three-story pavilion building containing a much-needed all-weather event space and The Jacobs Lawn, providing additional green space for community festivals, markets, and a winter ice rink. Klyde Warren Park, operated by the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation, is a privately-operated nonprofit that relies on private donations and support to enrich lives through free programming and unique community-building opportunities. Corporate partnerships, individual donations and grants ensure this mission will continue into the future.