I was in OKC a couple weeks ago and was impressed by how massive the convention center feels again the east edge of the park. I was on a short time schedule so I didn't wander around too much but that really stood out to me. Definitely a large city feeling. Would be nice to get some similar scale on the west end.

Such a beautiful morning in the park with zumba classes blaring, the farmer's market, etc. We have family in town from Denver and they were really impressed with the park.

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All taken yesterday (Sunday) around noon. The last photo is of the sports pavilion near the northwest corner of the park.

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Will it be possible to bike / run from the boathouses to lower Scissortale?

Will it be possible to bike / run from the boathouses to lower Scissortale?

Yes.

You can take the river trail which will connect them.

It essentially already is. Presently you can bike along the river trail from the boathouses to the parking lot just south of the south park.

It essentially already is. Presently you can bike along the river trail from the boathouses to the parking lot just south of the south park.

In the next to last picture are they tearing that parking lot out ?

In the next to last picture are they tearing that parking lot out ?

I'm not sure what they are doing there but there is still an easy connect to the trail and the lower park.

I suspect this will be enhanced by demolishing and reworking that weird little road and remnant parking lot. There are two bigger lots just to the west.

such a mistake not to add a few mill to maps 4 to buy the lower park lot .. and finish the sante fe tunnel ..

such a mistake not to add a few mill to maps 4 to buy the lower park lot .. and finish the sante fe tunnel ..

No kidding. It's going to look so dumb once the meat people sell that lot and it gets turned into an island of poorly landscaped parking in the middle of the park.

such a mistake not to add a few mill to maps 4 to buy the lower park lot .. and finish the sante fe tunnel ..

Hard to do when the owner of said property is valuing his lot at far, far too much for the city to pay, especially considering fiscal responsibility and all that.

In the next to last picture are they tearing that parking lot out ?

Nope, I just met someone at that parking lot this past weekend.

17162

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Honestly moving faster than I anticipated. looking good!

Except still won't be open for a year-ish. I wish they could pour the promenade and open it early, with fencing up so you can't access the rest, so we could get down to the river on foot that way sooner.

Most of the big stuff is already done.

It's just a matter of finishing up the courts/fields, doing the final paving and plantings.

https://www.google.com/search?q=southbank+brisbane&client=firefox-b-1-d&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=yG12Ey0oIVKzBM%252CDRrUHyMZpnpdZM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kRf1fCPHK8iHLpzoRZHlpBzlMKKnA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjy6syGw4z0AhVTVc0KHRjpAVMQ_B16BAhMEAE#i mgrc=yG12Ey0oIVKzBM

I would love to see something like Southbank in Brisbane, Australia in OKC. I visited it a couple years ago and was blown away and kept thinking how big time OKC would be if they had something like this. I think it would be great around the Scissortail Park, Producers Co-Op site, or perhaps even incorporating this at the new resort. Having a beach area and boardwalk would be a home run for this city.

^^^ We're gonna have a blue lagoon at the OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark right across the river though.

Press release:

***************

‘Tis the Season Holiday Lights and Events at Scissortail Park
Union Station Illumination returns November 26

OKLAHOMA CITY – Gardens and walkways lined with luminarias, buildings adorned with lights, a 40-foot Christmas tree and a giant menorah are some of what visitors will find at ‘Tis the Season at Scissortail Park. The 2021 holiday season will also feature the popular light and music experience – Union Station Illumination. Guests will be able to enjoy all of the free, festive displays from Friday, November 26 through Thursday, January 6, 2022.

With support from SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital, Express Employment International, OG&E, Toucan Productions, BancFirst, Omni Oklahoma City Hotel, Crowe & Dunlevy, BC Clark, and Blair and Maggie Humphreys activities planned during ‘Tis the Season at Scissortail Park offer a safe, outdoor way to celebrate the holidays again this year.

“One of my favorite memories from 2020 was watching a little girl and her parents dance to ‘Run, Run Rudolph’ as lights danced on the façade of Union Station,” said Maureen Heffernan, CEO of Myriad Gardens Foundation and Scissortail Park Foundation. “Or seeing a group of roller skaters skating by and stopping to skate to the ‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy’ playing at Union Station Illumination. The light and music show created by our staff and Toucan Productions will again transform historic Union Station into a living canvas of color and festive excitement for all to enjoy. Our music selection includes songs and instrumental music of different genres – from blues to classical and from rap to church choirs as well as folk, Latin, rock, country and more. We want guests to discover and enjoy a more eclectic musical selection than just the same holiday songs overplayed during the holiday season.”

A new addition this year is the Silver Flyer, a free golf cart tour for visitors with limited mobility. Guests may schedule this service in advance at scissortailpark.org/silverflyer.

Along with holiday light displays, the Park is hosting a variety of activities including:

Union Station Illumination Lighting Ceremony
Friday, November 26, 5-8pm
Union Station
Help us kick off the holiday season with the lighting of Union Station.
5-8pm Hot cocoa, s’mores and other holiday treats available from The Perch
5:30-7:30pm Holiday craft station
6pm Boulevard Brass Quartet
6:30pm Union Station Illumination “Flip the Switch”
Park visitors will be able to enjoy Union Station Illumination each night from 6 – 11pm through Thursday, January 6, 2022.


‘Tis the Season Holiday Concert
Saturday, November 27, 6:30-8:30pm
Love’s Travel Stops Stage and Great Lawn
Enjoy a free holiday concert featuring local Oklahoma City choirs and a special reading of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.
Musical guests include Eric Himan and the Christmas Jewels, Canterbury Youth Voices conducted by Susan Pendergraft, OK City Chorus, Canterbury Chamber Voices conducted by Dr. Randi Von Ellefson, and Montrae Tisdale and the Friends Chorale.


Chabad Community Center Presents Scissortail Lights
Community Chanukah Celebration
Sunday, November 28, 5pm
Love’s Travel Stops Stage and Great Lawn
Come out to celebrate the first night of Chanukah with a giant menorah lighting, entertainment, traditional foods, special treats for kids, Dreidel Man appearance, and a special performance by Kyle Dillingham and Horseshoe Road.


Scissortail Park Membership Gift with Purchase
Monday, November 22 – Monday, November 29
scissortailpark.org/become-a-member
Purchase a Scissortail Park membership for yourself or as a gift from November 22 – 29 to receive a free Scissortail Park waterproof picnic blanket.
(Offer valid while supplies last.)


‘Tis the Season Market
Saturday, December 4, 11am – 5pm
Sunday, December 5, 10am – 4pm
Love’s Travel Stops Stage and Great Lawn
Support local Oklahoma artisans and makers with our outdoor, holiday gift market.


Santa Visits
Saturday, December 4, 12-4pm
Sunday, December 5, 12-4pm
Saturday, December 11 & 18, 12-4pm
North Lens Garden by SPARK Restaurant
Families and pets are welcome to visit Santa and take your own photos. Free and open for all to enjoy.


Silver Flyer Holiday Lights Tour
Friday, November 26 – Thursday, January 6, 2022
Schedule online. Check in at Union Station
Guests who have limited mobility are invited to book a free, 20-minute golf cart tour around the Park to enjoy the beautiful holiday lights. Silver Flyer holiday hours are 5:30-9pm Thursdays through Sundays. To make a reservation, visit scissortailpark.org/silverflyer or call 405.493.8301.
(Not available Christmas Day. Subject to change. Weather permitting.)


The Perch at Scissortail Boathouse
Winter Holiday Hours
Friday, November 12 – Sunday, January 2
Fridays from 5-8pm
Saturdays from 11am-8pm
Sundays from 11am-8pm
The Perch holiday menu will feature hot cocoa, s’mores and other holiday treats.


EMBARK Ride Free Weekends
Fridays – Sundays from November 19 – January 2
The Oklahoma City Streetcar will be free to ride all day Fridays through Sundays during the holiday season. Park anywhere downtown and hop on the streetcar to visit Scissortail Park. The stop is located directly across the street from the Park at Oklahoma City Boulevard and Thunder Drive. Plan a trip at okcstreetcar.com.


For more information about additional holiday activities, please visit ScissortailPark.org/Calendar.

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Thoae light poles in the last picture seem to be a lower quality than the ones used atvthe upper park. Was this light fixture the original design?

Lots of activity going on on the north park will the South Park believe the same

Thoae light poles in the last picture seem to be a lower quality than the ones used atvthe upper park. Was this light fixture the original design?

The lights along the wide promenade will be the same that are in the upper park.

I'm sure the design and fixtures are going to be just about the same.

What's on the sign on the top of the south hill?

What's on the sign on the top of the south hill?

It's for the construction company.

Scissortail Park will look great in Christmas in a few years as more in more lights get added. Something like Edmond's Luminance would be cool and ever light pole has an outlet already built into it.

From today, a ride along south Robinson, you can kinda see some of the stuff actively being done.

https://youtu.be/_r0PXylF5c8

Will the lower park actually connect to the river? It appears to stop short... Surely there'll at least be a crosswalk.

Will the lower park actually connect to the river? It appears to stop short... Surely there'll at least be a crosswalk.

I believe there is a proposed pedestrian bridge that connects to Perez Park.

Will the lower park actually connect to the river? It appears to stop short... Surely there'll at least be a crosswalk.

I mean, they won't be closing 15th street. Pretty sure most of the surrounding roads are due resurfacing (kind of like how Robinson was done by the upper park), so I'm sure there will be similar treatment of the south park crossings as there is for the north park crossings.

SW 15 will remain open between S Robinson Ave. and S Harvey Ave. I think it would be ideal if they closed SW 15 but in my experience it doesn't get all that much traffic between Robinson and Walker, since it dead-ends at S Harvey Pkwy, before you even get to S Walker Ave. Also, they've closed off SW 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 through the park, so if you didn't leave SW 15 open you'd be completely cutting off the handful of residents on the west side of the park from getting over to Robinson and points east (nearest crossings would be the OKC Boulevard or the new Wiley Post Park parking lot!)

There's already a crosswalk across SW 15 along the old "Harvey Spine" trail (guess we can retire that phrase once the park opens, right?), but it gets very little use. Not sure I've ever seen another pedestrian there in all my years of using it. They have done a very good job of regrading the "Great Lawn" right where S Robinson crosses the river. There used to be an asphalt parking or turnaround area under the north end of the Robinson overpass, mostly used by truckers but sometimes also RVs. That is completely gone and the ground has been smoothed out. I think the experience of someone using the lower park and then wanting to get to the north bank of the river will be a pretty good one.

Regarding resurfacing, they've done all the sidewalks along SW 15 and along S Harvey. It looked to me like they've also already patched and repaired S Harvey between SW 10 and SW 15, so my guess is that SW 15 and S Harvey, at least, are not going to get the same "total rebuild" treatment as the stretch of S Hudson Ave. along the north park got. Hope I'm wrong, but that's what it looks like.

I spoke to David Todd today (MAPS Program Director for the city).

He said the lower park should be completely finished by the end of the summer.

These are from a MAPS 3 update presentation.

The finish deadline is September 2, 2022.

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Are they going to add a second soccer field later?

Passed thru the area yesterday. Wiley Post is open and it looks great, has lots of areas for parking. You can't get that view of the river from the new entrances because it's more of a maze that slows down traffic once you enter the park. The Skate park is busy despite the cold weather.

The show 'Cheaters,' could probably do some scenes out here. Saw some things that raised my eyebrows with a guy picking up a women from her car on one side of the park then driving to an area not so occupied. As I was leaving, it looked as though he was taking her back to her car... (As my mother use to tell me GRHS, 'don't you have enough business of your own to take care of'...) :D
This will be an awesome park once the weather gets better and landscaping workers tweak the loose ends. Much improved layout...

The construction on the lower Scissortail Park looks ideal to the picks Pete presented above. The temperature probably added to the slower pace since it's not ideal for pouring concrete. Counted 7 workers in the area around 2:30 p.m.

The old structures (Muffler & Hubcap shops) across Robinson just east of the park continues to be an eyesore. We'll see the characteristics of the two park haves once they get 90% completed. Will be a great addition to the South side with Scissortail Park, Wiley Post and Wheeler Park (west of the two) all entrances within blocks of one another.

Before COVID I used to do Homeless and Street Outreach with a non-profit that has a location on South Robinson. There were a few tents underneath the trees close to 1-40 and the Sky Dance bridge. As we were talking to the family camped there, one of the business owners of the Muffler shop came over and started yelling at us to not feed the "rats" that lived there. Then he said "and don't get me started on this park the city is putting in. It's going to ruin this whole area." Our team just stared at him with open mouths, we just didn't know how to respond to him.

Before COVID I used to do Homeless and Street Outreach with a non-profit that has a location on South Robinson. There were a few tents underneath the trees close to 1-40 and the Sky Dance bridge. As we were talking to the family camped there, one of the business owners of the Muffler shop came over and started yelling at us to not feed the "rats" that lived there. Then he said "and don't get me started on this park the city is putting in. It's going to ruin this whole area." Our team just stared at him with open mouths, we just didn't know how to respond to him.

LOL because a muffler shop really raises the property values of a neighborhood.

Before COVID I used to do Homeless and Street Outreach with a non-profit that has a location on South Robinson. There were a few tents underneath the trees close to 1-40 and the Sky Dance bridge. As we were talking to the family camped there, one of the business owners of the Muffler shop came over and started yelling at us to not feed the "rats" that lived there. Then he said "and don't get me started on this park the city is putting in. It's going to ruin this whole area." Our team just stared at him with open mouths, we just didn't know how to respond to him.

Wouldn't dignify that with a response.

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Strangely, they have started moving earth at the Cusack parking lot. There haven't been any permits filed and to do anything at all (including paving) they would need to obtain approval for design review.

They may have just accepted fill from the park construction and are now trying to level their property.


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The city should at least re-do the sidewalks on the cusak lot to match the park sidewalks. I think it's within their right to do that.

in #3340 Pete said "There haven't been any permits filed and to do anything at all (including paving) they would need to obtain approval for design review."

in #3340 Pete said "There haven't been any permits filed and to do anything at all (including paving) they would need to obtain approval for design review."

I noticed after I clicked post and changed it.

Convention Center parking lot looks full!

On nice days, the streets around the park are a madhouse. Once the lower park is open, it should help immensely when people begin parking down there and crossing ST bridge.

The city should at least re-do the sidewalks on the cusak lot to match the park sidewalks. I think it's within their right to do that.

That is a really good point. It is odd that the city hasn't matched the sidewalk in front of Cusack's parking lot with the rest of the sidewalks that border the park along Harvey.

Watch them put in a pay per hour parking lot in the space.

Several of us have been predicting such

Watch them put in a pay per hour parking lot in the space.

Yep. Over them and Brown’s Bakery. I cannot believe how much of an eyesore Brown’s is. It doesn’t need some massive hipster renovation. Just put a fresh coat of paint on the building and show some pride of ownership. Tired of local businesses that seem to be without a care how their property impacts the larger community.

^

Or at least fix the broken windows.

If they can't afford to maintain their property, they should sell to any number of developers for top dollar.

^^ Tired of the excuses. I drove by the other day and it looked like they have done nothing to remedy the situation about a decade since people started talking about it.

time for social, city pressure.

Doesn't the city have ordinances, codes? Why doesn't OKC enforce anything?

Isn't there (or should there be) a Midtown Association - that could enforce/fine for this sort of thing?

time for social, city pressure.

Doesn't the city have ordinances, codes? Why doesn't OKC enforce anything?

Isn't there (or should there be) a Midtown Association - that could enforce/fine for this sort of thing?

Just like all of the districts, Midtown (which does exist under the coordination of Downtown Oklahoma City Partnership) doesn't have code enforcement privileges or responsibility. Only the City has that power.

Yep. Over them and Brown’s Bakery. I cannot believe how much of an eyesore Brown’s is. It doesn’t need some massive hipster renovation. Just put a fresh coat of paint on the building and show some pride of ownership. Tired of local businesses that seem to be without a care how their property impacts the larger community.

What's wrong with Brown's bakery? I picked a few things last time l was in OKC and it was OK. It was plain and not glamorous but they're probably lucky to still be open with Covid.

Fully agree about Cusacks. It's like one of those places the owner refuses to sell so they built the hiway around his house.

What's wrong with Brown's bakery? I picked a few things last time l was in OKC and it was OK. It was plain and not glamorous but they're probably lucky to still be open with Covid.

Fully agree about Cusacks. It's like one of those places the owner refuses to sell so they built the hiway around his house.

Dude, it's an eyesore that is falling apart. It has several broken windows that have been that way for years. A relatively minor investment in exterior improvements could make a dramatic impact, but the owners apparently can't afford to hire window and paint contractors.

Are you talking about Browns Bakery or the building on the south part of the parking lot? Granted l was there a few months ago but their 2019 Google Earth shows no broken windows. Are you talking about Fassler Hall or maybe there's another building l'm not aware of or vandalism occurred in between?

^

The building to the south is owned by Browns and has been in terrible shape for decades.

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Park yourself at Scissortail Park - https://www.velocityokc.com/blog/lifestyle/park-yourself-at-scissortail-park/?back=super_blog

Are there any plans to fix that last top corner window on devon