Tulsa Parks projects get neighborhood input

BY KEVIN CANFIELD World Staff Writer
Sunday, December 30, 2012
12/30/12 at 5:56 AM

The Tulsa Parks Department made a lot of news this year for a proposal that never turned into action - the demolition of the B.C. Franklin Park recreation center and pool.

Under the radar, however, the department has had a busy year.

"We are working closer with neighborhood groups, and people are donating things and we're trying to make matches," said Parks Director Lucy Dolman. "Lots of projects have been completed.

"Sometimes it takes a while to get the project done, but we have had a very successful year."

On the top of that list is the repurposing of Turner Park at 3503 E. Fifth Place - the first of nearly a dozen parks whose recreation centers and pools are set to be removed and new amenities added.

Turner Park's recreation center and pool were demolished in July and replaced with a pavilion, walking path and lighting.

"It was at the request of the neighborhood," Dolman said. "What they wanted was a safe, open area - a park where people could do a variety of recreational activities, and by removing the building we accomplished that."

The planned demolition of the B.C. Franklin recreation center was opposed by some neighborhood residents who wanted to see the center rehabilitated and claimed the proposed changes to the park - including a water playground and multipurpose sports court - would not address the needs of the neighborhood.

A lawsuit filed by six Tulsans to stop the demolition was dismissed by a Tulsa County District Court judge in September, but city officials agreed not to go forward with it and said they would work with residents to come up with a new plan for the park.

The city has chosen to demolish some recreation centers because they are in poor shape, and it would cost millions of dollars to repair and maintain them.

Dolman said the city has eight to 10 other parks in line for recreation center demolition and repurposing.

Other projects completed by the Parks Department this year include:

Braden Park sculpture: The Parks Department worked with the local neighborhood association to install a piece of artwork.

"They had this garden sculpture, and they wanted to place it in the park, and we felt like we needed something a little more substantial," Dolman said. "So we found a huge boulder and placed the sculpture on this thing."

Woodward Park sculpture: The Parks Department worked with a local family to restore a wooden sculpture of a cardinal erected in the park by the family to honor a deceased relative who was a big fan of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team.

"It was getting old and decaying, so we had to figure out what we could do to increase the life," Dolman said. "So we went out and found another rock and figured out another way to get it on there."

The Parks Department's long-term projects include working in conjunction with Helmerich Foundation to construct a training center for the Garden Center's Linnaeus Teaching Garden at Woodward Park. The foundation is funding the project.

"It would be for all their volunteers to sit down and learn, to do their tests and learn about plants, and that type of thing," Dolman said.

Construction of the training facility would likely not begin for another year, Dolman said.

Tulsa Parks improvements

List of projects under way or planned for 2013:

Vining Park, 6500 N. Cincinnati Ave.: Construction of shelter, parking lot, playground, basketball court and sidewalk began Dec. 3.

Lacy Park, 2134 N. Madison Place: Replacement of the existing kitchen with a commercial kitchen set to begin Jan. 7.

Manion Park, 3003 E. 56th St.: Construction of new water playground scheduled to begin in February if the park's recreation center has been demolished by then.

McClure Park, 7440 E. Seventh St.: Construction of shelters to begin in January.

Clark Park, 11440 E. Admiral Place: Construction of shelters to begin in January.

Springdale Park, 2223 E. Pine St.: Construction of water playground scheduled to begin in April.

Reed Park, 4233 S. Yukon Ave.: Playground improvements could begin as early as May.

Hunter Park, 5804 E. 91st St.: Playground improvements could begin as early as May.

H.B. Johnson Park, 1730 S. 123rd East Ave.: Work on lighting improvements scheduled to begin in May.

Source: City of Tulsa

Tulsa Parks improvements

Kevin Canfield 918-581-8313
kevin.canfield@tulsaworld.com

Associated Images:

View showing recent renovations made at Turner Park, 3503 E. Fifth Place, in Tulsa. JAMES GIBBARD / Tulsa World