The Friends of Oak Cliff Parks and the Old Oak Cliff Conservation League are encouraging residents to contact City Councilmembers about a potential re-allocation of bond funds away from a previously funded restoration project at Kiest Park Memorial Gardens.
The Council had previously allocated $250,000 to restore/rebuild the historic WPA (Works Progress Administration) pergola at Kiest Park, a project that would allow for the application process to begin to place the gardens on the National Register of Historic Landmarks — a great honor for Oak Cliff and an asset to area property owners. District 3 Councilmember Dave Neumann wants to take the money and apply it to the park’s trail system, which has already been funded through the trail system’s master plan.
Dating to the 1930s, the stone and timber pergola frames the view of the “water rill,” a small stream that follows a linear course. The stone-lined water rill is 280 feet long with 10 terraced pools that trickle down from a fountain at the north end to a quiet reflecting pool and a goldfish pond at the south end. The entire water rill is lined on both sides with flower beds, flowering shrubs and tall trees that create outdoor rooms, much like an Italian garden.
