The idea for a majestic water garden feature in the Bayfront Arts and Science Park was first floated in 1981 by the Foundation for Sciences and Arts. The Foundation approached the City Council and agreed to split the cost of the project with the city.
In July 1983, the city endorsed the project and began raising its share of the funding by raising the hotel occupancy tax to 7%.
The original cost estimate for the project was $2.1 million, which included an underground parking garage beneath the water garden.
The project was to be constructed in the open space between the new Convention Center, the Art Museum, the Harbor Playhouse, and the Museum of Science and History.
The Foundation had hired New York landscape architect, Robert Zion, to design a tentative plan for the project. Over the next year, debates over the design plan prevented the project from moving forward.
Meanwhile, the cost of the project had risen by another half million dollars. It was not until March of 1986 that an acceptable design was approved and a drawing of the design made public. Construction, however, would not be able to start until at least September because of several complications.
One was the fact that a huge piece of outdoor artwork was in the way. Japanese-born artist Jan Kaneko had painted the massive concrete walkway in front of the museum solid black, then covered it with 63,000 white polka dots, spaced 5 inches apart. The artwork was to remain open for viewing until September when the concrete would be cut into 3-foot by 5-foot sections and sold to the public.
Another complication came in November 1986 when the lowest bid for the project came in $825,000 higher than the amount approved by the City Council. In January 1987, the City Council decided to remove the underground parking garage from the project.
New design plans were drawn up and submitted to the Council in March. In June, “C.J.B. Construction” of Corpus Christi was awarded the $2.4 million contract to build the water garden.
After 6 long years, a groundbreaking ceremony finally took place on July 23, 1987. The project was completed 10 months later and a grand opening ceremony took place on May 28, 1988.
The Water Garden quickly became one of the most popular attractions in the city for tourists and locals alike. But time, maintenance problems, design flaws, and the weather took their toll on the fountains. At times, the fountains would be off for months while repairs were made.
A final blow was dealt by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The damage was so severe, the waters were turned off permanently.
It was not until May of 2023 that $9 million was allocated to replace the infrastructure and fully restore our magnificent Water Garden. Construction began in June and is scheduled for completion by the summer of 2024.
Robert Parks is a special contributor to KRIS 6 News. Parks was a history teacher at Carroll High School for 19 years and is now retired. His knowledge of Corpus Christi history makes him a unique expert in the subject.
