In May, Kingwood Center Gardens officials announced receipt of a $3 million gift as an initial and important step in an “Honoring the Past, Growing the Future” capital campaign which would result in a visitor center being added to the Kingwood campus. That facility would perform the following functions:
- Make Kingwood more customer-friendly
- Provide a portal and elegant entrance to the grounds
- Provide an orientation point, as well as a focal point for staff and volunteers
- Serve as an information center and location for plant sales
- Provide restrooms, exhibit space, offices, as well as reception and education spaces.
- Serve as a cultural and information center ro the Mansfield community
All of the above will be served in a facility which includes a welcome center and ticketing office, conference and event space, and an area for displays on King and Kingwood. Further, visitors’ first “taste” of the Gardens will be a new garden-infused parking area.
At Friday night’s annual C.K. King Christmas Party, the next step in that campaign was unveiled by way of an announcement at Kingwood that just over $7 million dollars in gifts, grants, and pledges have already been received our of a total fundraising goal of $8.5 million.
Based on the amount raised, it was also shared that the goal for opening the visitors center will be Spring of 2020.
