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Belt Line Mural
The eye catching mural at the intersection of Interstate 30 and Belt Line Road spans 617 feet of concrete, depicting prairie scenes and wetlands from the frontier days. Tommy Weddle of Dallas started painting the mural in spring 2003 and, as intended, completed the project in time for the Breeders’ Cup. [READ MORE] |
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Charles V. England Public Safety Training Complex
Dedicated to the public safety personnel who protect the citizens and businesses of Grand Prairie, the sculpture features a life-size police officer and firefighter, as well as two small children playing with a fire truck and police car. The sculpture alludes to the daily heroism of Grand Prairie police officers and firefighters, who are the protectors of our future and suggests professional admiration and inspiration. [READ MORE] |
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Lone Star Gas Flame
Atop the former Lone Star Gas building on the corner of Church and NW 2nd streets, now the city's Housing and Neighborhood Services Department, the old Lone Star Gas flame continues to light the night sky in downtown Grand Prairie. The former commercial office building of the Lone Star Gas Company featured the traditional blue flame when it first opened in June of 1962. Architects Smith and Warder of Grand Prairie designed the building’s façade out of brick, granite, aluminum and glass, mounting the historic neon flame on an extended steel column attached to a granite wall. [READ MORE] |
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Lone Star Park Statue - Alysheba
This 1 ¼-scale bronze statue of Alysheba was unveiled at Lone Star Park on Sept. 29, 2004, the year that the Grand Prairie, Texas, racetrack hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. Since then, the 1000-pound statue, designed by renowned equine artist Lisa Perry, has been a focal point upon entering Lone Star Park’s main East Gate entrance, as it sits atop a landscaped knoll inside the valet parking circle. [READ MORE] |
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Lone Star Park Statue - Commemorating Opening Day
A life-size bronze statue depicting the Lone Star Park logo, a horse and rider running on top of a star, adorns the area just inside the East Gate main entrance adjacent to the paddock saddling area at Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie. “Dedicated to the Citizens of Grand Prairie, Texas,” the statue commemorates Opening Day, April 17, 1997, of Lone Star Park’s inaugural season. A plaque on the statue acknowledges both the members of The Grand Prairie Sports Facilities Development Corporation, and the Grand Prairie City Council. |
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Prairie Paws Adoption Center Art
A seven foot by seven foot bas-relief sculpture in brick including color glazing features a prairie scene bordered with individual plants and animals, on display in the lobby of Prairie Paws Adoption Center. Installed in 2003 when Prairie Paws was a new facility, the artwork cost just under $25,000 and was paid for by private donations and a contribution from the Grand Prairie Facilities Sports Corporation, which gave $1.5 million toward the cost of the facility. [READ MORE] |
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Ruthe Jackson Center Fountain
A cascading copper bowl water fountain twists over a shallow pond, greeting guests as they enter the city’s Ruthe Jackson Conference Center, 3113 S. Carrier Parkway. Creating the tranquil sound of a babbling brook, the fountain accentuates the “welcome home” feel of the center, while simultaneously creating a “wow” factor for guests. |
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Teri Jackson Tourist Information Center Art
At the Teri Jackson Tourist Information Center, 2170 Belt Line Road, a three-panel steel triptych features Grand Prairie tourist attractions. Steel on the $60,000 sculpture is laser-cut and finished with an acid wash to encourage a rich rust patina. Artist Alice Bateman of Fort Worth designed each panel to make the observer feel like a participant in the action. [READ MORE] |
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Veterans Memorial
The Veterans Memorial located at 925 Conover Drive, behind the Senior Citizens Center and the Main Library, consists of five granite-clad columns that represent each branch of the U.S. military. The columns are engraved with the names, rank and date of death of the 51 Grand Prairie veterans lost during military service. Construction began in October of 2004 with the final inspection being completed May 6, 2005. [READ MORE] |
Belt Line Road Mural
The eye catching mural at the intersection of Interstate 30 and Belt Line Road spans 617 feet of concrete, depicting prairie scenes and wetlands from the frontier days.
Tommy Weddle of Dallas started painting the mural in spring 2003 and, as intended, completed the project in time for the Breeders’ Cup. The city paid Weddle $35,000 to paint the mural as part of a $650,000 effort to spruce up the area for the Breeders’ Cup hosted at Lone Star Park. Special projects coordinator Tammy Chan helped oversee the mural as part of the city’s Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful program.
Most of the work was done using a 3-inch paintbrush illustrating the diversity of wildlife and habitats native to the area. Wild mustangs, buffalo and grey wolves cover three corners at the intersection of Belt Line Road and I-30. The fourth corner depicts a wetlands dotted with wading birds.
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Charles V. England Public Safety Training Complex
Dedicated to the public safety personnel who protect the citizens and businesses of Grand Prairie 24/7, the public art sculpture features a police officer and firefighter standing watch over two children. The bronze was created by Cindy and Terry Burleson, cast by Schaefer Art Bronze and cost $61,000. The funding was raised in part from the private sector, with a substantial donation having been made by the Grand Prairie Fire Association, who purchased the #1 marquette, and personalized brick sales, spearheaded by Police Chief Glen Hill’s office. This is the first installed piece of the Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful Community Art Program. In keeping with the city’s new public art policy in which art works will be included with all new facilities, a new lifesize four-figure bronze sculptural tribute to Grand Prairie’s police officers and firefighters was unveiled at the grand opening celebration on Feb. 5, 2003.
Interesting facts about the sculpture include:
First Project: The sculpture is the first major art project of the city’s Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful Community Art Program.
Concept: The concept was developed based on feedback from the Police and Fire Associations.
The Firefighter’s Association voted to name the firefighter “Swadley” in honor of the Swadley family firefighting legacy, which includes the only firefighter to ever die in the line of duty: Kermit C. Swadley.
The Police Association voted to leave the name of the police office blank as a tribute to all police officers: past, present and future.
Two Themes: The sculpture features a life-size police officer and firefighter, as well as two small children playing with a fire truck and police car. The sculpture alludes to the daily heroism of Grand Prairie Police Officers and Firefighters, who are the protectors of our future and suggests professional admiration and inspiration.
Artists: Cindy Burleson and Terry Burleson from Austin
Sculpture: 4 piece life-size bronze
Cost: $61,000, raised from seed money from the City’s Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful Community Art Program, public and private donations, including the funds raised during an auction that included meals prepared by the City Manager, Mayor and police and fire personnel.
Placement: The life-size sculpture is located at the southwest corner of the new Charles V. England Public Safety Training Facility.
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Flame Burns Bright in Grand Prairie
Atop the former Lone Star Gas building on the corner of Church and NW 2nd streets, the old Lone Star Gas flame continues to light the night sky in downtown Grand Prairie
The former commercial office building of the Lone Star Gas Company featured the traditional blue flame when it first opened in June of 1962. Architects Smith and Warder of Grand Prairie designed the building’s façade out of brick, granite, aluminum and glass, mounting the historic neon flame on an extended steel column attached to a granite wall. The two-foot-tall blue-tinted flame originally turned on its eight-foot tower.
When the Lone Star Gas Company moved out of the building in 2000, the city renovated the building for the Housing and Neighborhood Services Department and restored the flame, replacing broken neon and adding a new electrical circuit.
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Lone Star Park Statue - Alysheba
This 1 ¼-scale bronze statue of Alysheba was unveiled at Lone Star Park on Sept. 29, 2004, the year that the Grand Prairie, Texas, racetrack hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. Since then, the 1000-pound statue, designed by renowned equine artist Lisa Perry, has been a focal point upon entering Lone Star Park’s main East Gate entrance, as it sits atop a landscaped knoll inside the valet parking circle. Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron, who rode Alysheba in 17 of his 26 career starts, is depicted as the rider in the sculpture. Owned by Dorothy and Pamela Scharbauer, Alysheba won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in 1987 and finished his career by winning the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Classic. During his career, he won three Eclipse Awards, a 1987 Champion 3-Year-Old Male, Horse of the Year and Champion Older Male in 1988. With more than $6.6 million in career earnings at the time of his retirement, Alysheba was the richest race horse in history.
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Lone Star Park Statue - Commemorating Opening Day
A life-size bronze statue depicting the Lone Star Park logo, a horse and rider running on top of a star, adorns the area just inside the East Gate main entrance adjacent to the paddock saddling area at Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie. “Dedicated to the Citizens of Grand Prairie, Texas,” the statue commemorates Opening Day, April 17, 1997, of Lone Star Park’s inaugural season. A plaque on the statue acknowledges both the members of The Grand Prairie Sports Facilities Development Corporation, and the Grand Prairie City Council.
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Prairie Paws Adoption Center Sculpture
A seven foot by seven foot bas-relief sculpture in brick including color glazing features a prairie scene bordered with individual plants and animals, on display in the lobby of Prairie Paws Adoption Center.
Installed in 2003 when Prairie Paws was a new facility, the artwork cost just under $25,000 and was paid for by private donations and a contribution from the Grand Prairie Facilities Sports Corporation, which gave $1.5 million toward the cost of the facility.
Everything represented in the sculpture is native to north Texas. The original list of animals came from Grand Prairie Independent School District fourth graders with further selections from an art committee formed especially for this project.
Although the creative process took several months, the actual carving took Paula Blincoe Collins of Denton, Texas, two months with an additional month for drying and firing the bricks.
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Ruthe Jackson Center Fountain
A cascading copper bowl water fountain twists over a shallow pond, greeting guests as they enter the city’s Ruthe Jackson Conference Center, 3113 S. Carrier Parkway. Creating the tranquil sound of a babbling brook, the fountain accentuates the “welcome home” feel of the center, while simultaneously creating a “wow” factor for guests.
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Teri Jackson Tourist Information Center Art
At the Teri Jackson Tourist Information Center a three-panel steel triptych features Grand Prairie tourist attractions. Steel on the $60,000 sculpture is laser-cut and finished with an acid wash to encourage a rich rust patina. Artist Alice Bateman of Fort Worth designed each panel to make the observer feel like a participant in the action. The piece was funded through rental fees from the Bank One ATM machine and advertising space leased at the Tourist Information Center.
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Veterans Memorial Art
The Veterans Memorial located at 925 Conover Drive, behind the Senior Citizens Center and the Main Library, consists of five granite-clad columns that represent each branch of the U.S. military. The columns are engraved with the names, rank and date of death of the 51 Grand Prairie veterans lost during military service. Construction began in October of 2004 with the final inspection being completed May 6, 2005.
Designed by city staff and Schrickel, Rollins & Associates, the project was funded by the Grand Prairie Sports Development Corporation, the Grand Prairie Rotary Club, the Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club, the city and citizens, who also supplied many volunteer hours.
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