Tulsa park recreation centers could benefit from Fix Our Streets

BY KEVIN CANFIELD World Staff Writer
Friday, March 08, 2013
3/08/13 at 7:10 AM

City councilors were told Thursday that the Parks Department has no plans to construct large, comprehensive recreation centers - information that seemed to come as a surprise to several councilors.

"It all comes down to the amount of parks and the money we have to spend," said Parks Director Lucy Dolman.

Councilors asked Dolman to speak at an afternoon committee meeting to clarify the Parks Department's plan for its recreation centers, which are also referred to as community centers.

Dolman said the Parks Master Plan calls for repairing and improving the city's nine recreation centers - not constructing super centers.

"We are trying to get on our feet to manage what we've got," Dolman said, noting that the park system includes 146 parks covering 6,000 acres.

The Parks Department's $41 million capital improvement list includes $15.2 million for enhancements to Hicks, Lacy, Reed and Whiteside parks - locations chosen by residents during the creation of the master plan.

The parks would serve all four corners of the city and provide more recreation options than a typical park, Dolman said.

"Our definition (of a destination park) in the master plan is it has a variety of components and amenities and it attracts all ages - from pre-schoolers to seniors," Dolman said.

The destination parks typically include park benches, water facilities, playgrounds and other amenities favored by neighborhood residents, Dolman said.

She estimated that a super recreation center would cost $25 million in 2013 dollars to construct and said the price does not include maintenance costs. The centers could include anything from basketball courts to climbing walls.

The Park's Departments current fiscal year operating budget is $19.6 million.

Before a super recreation center could be built the city would have to gather input from citizens to ensure that the facility serves their needs, Dolman said.

The estimated $800.25 million Fix Our Streets renewal package expected to go to voters later this year could include as much as $330 million for non-street-related projects, including parks. The renewal would fund projects from fiscal years 2015 through 2019.

Councilor Phil Lakin said he would hate to see another five years go by before serious consideration is given to constructing a super recreation center.

"I just want to be alive to see one of these things built," Lakin said.

Councilor G.T. Bynum said Tulsa County spends less on its park system but has better facilities. "Because they have been disciplined in keeping the number of facilities they have to a manageable number while we have stuff - little tiny pockets in neighborhoods all over the city," Bynum said. "And so the maintenance costs on that stuff must be through the roof."

Councilor Blake Ewing last year asked the park board to consider adding a downtown super recreation center to its master plan.

On Wednesday, he, like Bynum, questioned whether the city's approach to its parks was a wise one.

"It seems to me that in the grand scheme of things, once again, Tulsa has overbuilt itself in some way and is offering ineffective service - at least compared to what it could," Ewing said.

Dolman told councilors that Tulsans have an attachment to their park land and that the master plan's call for maintaining and repairing the existing park facilities is what residents requested.

But that doesn't mean she thinks a super recreation center isn't needed in the community. "I think the conversation needs to be started," Dolman said.

Parks targeted for improvements

Tulsa Parks has included improvements to four recreation, or community, centers — one in each corner of the city — on its list of desired capital improvement projects. The parks were identified during the process of updating the parks master plan in 2010. The recreation centers are intended to be upgraded facilities that would offer a variety of amenities within a short drive for citizens across the city.

The centers are not super recreation centers. Super recreation centers were not called for in the parks master plan and would cost and estimated $25-$30 million to construct.

Lacy Park
2134 N. Madison Place

$6,354,002 — Projects include adding new playground and safety surface; replacing splash pads with a water playground; rehabilitating the pool; and adding 50 parking spaces for the community center, a covered drop-off area, signage, a covered pavilion and exterior rest rooms.

Hicks Park
3443 S. Mingo Road

$979,737 — HVAC service, paint, flooring, roofing and upgraded security system for community center; tennis court rehabilitation.

Reed Park
4233 S. Yukon Ave.

$2,656,995 — new playground and safety surface; replace splash pad with water playground; pool rehabilitation; upgrade security system.

Whiteside Park
4009 S. Pittsburg Ave.

$5,255,183 — add weight room and multi-purpose room; rehabilitate tennis court and replace lighting; rehabilitate pool; upgrade security system; upgrade and repair community center plumbing.

Total cost: $15,245,917

Source: Tulsa Parks
Original Print Headline: Park centers could benefit

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

Associated Images:

James Harris (left) and Anthony Baker, both of Tulsa, use a bench press inside the Lacy Community Center, 2134 N. Madison Place, one of several Tulsa Parks Department locations expected to benefit from Fix Our Streets dollars. CORY YOUNG/Tulsa World

Kejuan Hughes, of the Parks Department, paints at the Whiteside Park Recreation Center, 4009 S. Pittsburg Ave., on Thursday. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World

Ray Townsend shoots during a pickup game of basketball at the Whiteside Park Recreation Center, 4009 S. Pittsburg Ave. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World

The Lacy Community Center, 2134 N. Madison Place, is one of several Tulsa Parks Department locations targeted for improvements. CORY YOUNG/Tulsa World

The Whiteside Park Recreation Center is pictured here on Thursday. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World