Demolition of Turner Park community center begins

BY KEVIN CANFIELD World Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
7/31/12 at 11:36 AM

The city Parks Department began its planned demolition of seven community centers Tuesday morning with the destruction of the community center at Turner Park, 3503 E. Fifth Place.

Crews began work at 7 a.m.

"We all have emotions," said Lucy Dolman, Tulsa Parks director. "The problem is, we have to have something that is a quality facility that people feel safe and secure when visiting, and a dilapidated facility that has been closed 10 years is just not acceptable."

Neighborhood resident Josh Goodhue said he was surprised to see the center coming down, but said he wasn't upset. "Absolutely not, as long as they're going to replace it with something of equal or better value," Goodhue said.

The community center at Turner Park has been closed since 2002. New amenities are scheduled to be in place by February.

The Parks Department plans to tear down dilapidated community centers and remove run-down swimming pools and replace them with amenities more conducive to self-directed activities.

The improvements planned for Turner Park include a pavilion, walking trails and security lights.

The other community centers scheduled for demolition are at B.C. Franklin Park, 1818 E. Virgin St.; Clark Park, 11440 E. Admiral Place; Heller Park, 5238 S. Wheeling Ave.; Manion Park, 3003 E. 56th St.; Maxwell Park, 5251 E. Newton St.; Zeigler Park, 3903 W. Fourth St.

Community center demolitions planned for Ben Hill Park, 210 E. Latimer St., and Springdale Park, 2223 E. Pine St., are on hold.

The demolition of the community center at Franklin Park is being challenged in court by six Tulsans.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday, requests an injunction to prevent the destruction of the center and seeks a court order mandating that allocated tax dollars be used for improvements to the center.

The lawsuit was filed two days after the city’s Board of Adjustment rejected a modified site plan for the park., which is on 16 acres at 1818 E. Virgin St.

A hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday with Tulsa County District Judge Carlos Chappelle.

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