Trinity Park draws more than 2 million visitors annually, said District Superintendent Clint Wyatt.
Because of the high foot traffic, Frank Kent’s Dream Park needs to shut down for deep cleaning and maintenance for a week annually.
“As you probably know, this playground is very heavily used year-round. It’s really tough to get in there and do a deep cleaning without completely closing the park,” Wyatt said.
Dream Park will be closed through March 3 for deep cleaning. Last year the park closed for a week for tree trimming and tree removal, said Sandra Youngblood, the assistant director of the city’s parks department. This year, the park needs turf maintenance, repainting and pressure washing.
Other parks receive the same deep cleaning treatment at a less frequent rate, but workers clean them as part of their regular work schedule, Youngblood said.
A water tank is parked outside of Dream Park on Feb. 27. The park is closed through March 3 for cleaning and maintenance. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report) 
A City of Fort Worth sign tells visitors that Dream Park is closed through March 3. The park is closed for the city to perform cleaning measures due to high demand. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report) 
Marcus Haro, a senior maintenance worker, spools a pressure washer on Feb. 27 at Dream Park. The park is closed through March 3. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report) 
Victor Flores, a senior maintenance worker, pressure washes surfaces on Feb. 27 at Dream Park. The park is closed through March 3. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report) 
Victor Flores, a senior maintenance worker, pressure washes surfaces on Feb. 27 at Dream Park. The park is closed through March 3. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report)
Park staff spend at least 40 hours cleaning and maintaining Dream Park each week, Wyatt said. But there is no way that the city could complete repairs and other maintenance needs without closing, he said.
“This was a big investment for Frank Kent and for the city, so it’s really important that we maintain the integrity of this playground,” Wyatt said.
The Dream Park playground stemmed from a partnership between Frank Kent Motor Company and the city of Fort Worth in 2019. The playground has more than 57,000 square feet of playspace and is inclusive to the more than 6% of the Tarrant County population with a disability.
“This is a specialty playground. It’s an inclusive playground. There’s nothing else like it in Fort Worth,” Wyatt said.
The park will be open by spring break for Fort Worth ISD students, which lasts between March 13-17.
Cristian ArguetaSoto is the community engagement journalist at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him by email or via Twitter. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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