Scissortail Park

[jn1780]

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.

[shawnw]

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

[dwellsokc]

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

[Bellaboo]

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.

[shawnw]

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.

[riflesforwatie]

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.

[Pete]

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.

[Pete]

These are from a MAPS 3 update presentation.

The finish deadline is September 2, 2022.

[Plutonic Panda]

Are they going to add a second soccer field later?

[Laramie]

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'...)
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.

[CCOKC]

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.

[soonerguru]

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.

[Laramie]

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.

[Pete]

[Pete]

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.

[shawnw]

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.

[fortpatches]

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."

[shawnw]

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.

[Bowser214]

Convention Center parking lot looks full!

[Anonymous.]

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.

[GoGators]

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.

[citywokchinesefood]

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

[shawnw]

Several of us have been predicting such

[soonerguru]

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.

[Pete]

^

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.