Myriad Gardens

[metro]

FritterGirl.. I apologize if you've answered this question recently.. Is everything regarding the Gardens renovation still on schedule to be done by the Arts Festival?

She already stated that most would be done by then and most of the park will be opened for the festival, but some of the construction will finish up after the festival. Bit who cares, it will be worth it.

[Watson410]

Yeah, I agree.. Don't rush anything, Get it right the first time!

[jn1780]

The city updated its flickr page.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/50408515@N06/

It looks like most of the outside should be done by then.

[Pete]

Wow, things are really starting to shape up... Looks great, especially how the park is now more opened up and not shielded by all those huge berms.

[FritterGirl]

She already stated that most would be done by then and most of the park will be opened for the festival, but some of the construction will finish up after the festival. Bit who cares, it will be worth it.

We are planning on a "soft" opening on April 26, to coincide with the opening of the 2011 Festival of the Arts. The Crystal Bridge is scheduled to be open, but they are still working on ingress/egress issues since the new visitors' center on the south end will still be under construction. Visitors wishing to come into the bridge will need to enter through the north end.

Most of the outdoor grounds will be completed, especially along the west side, where the Festival activities will take place. Keep in mind that the lanscaping areas will be "new," so plants and flowers will still be freshly planted and will look spaced in their beds, as opposed to having the lush look we are used to when things start to grow together.

Questionable is the children's garden since some of the smaller details are still being worked on. Also the restaurant will not be open. I don't know about any of the other specific areas. They are working as hard as they can to get as much finished as possible, without compromising quality. It's been a delicate dance, indeed.

Someone earlier in the thread asked whether they'd be able to bring dogs in. I'll need to check on the status of the dog run area. When the Gardens are open, dogs will be allowed in the greater part of the Garden area, as long as they are on a leash, per City ordinance. The only off-leash area will be the dog run. KEEP IN MIND,however, that dogs ARE NOT ALLOWED at the Festival of the Arts. This is a Festival policy, and as the Gardens effectively "belong" to Festival that week, the policy will be enforced.

Pete, I'm still trying to find out more info for you regarding the contractor. I can say that the lighting group is Alvine Engineering. The local contractor was Shawver and Son. I don't know if this is the same group Devon is using for their facility, or not.

Thunder will be happy to note that while the lakes will be finished, it will be some time before we relocate the koi back into the Gardens' ponds since we want to wait until the waters are biologically balanced enough to sustain fish. It may be a few months.

[Pete]

Thanks as always, Fritter.

That is a different lighting group than Devon is using.

[jn1780]

We are planning on a "soft" opening on April 26, to coincide with the opening of the 2011 Festival of the Arts. The Crystal Bridge is scheduled to be open, but they are still working on ingress/egress issues since the new visitors' center on the south end will still be under construction. Visitors wishing to come into the bridge will need to enter through the north end.

Most of the outdoor grounds will be completed, especially along the west side, where the Festival activities will take place. Keep in mind that the lanscaping areas will be "new," so plants and flowers will still be freshly planted and will look spaced in their beds, as opposed to having the lush look we are used to when things start to grow together.

Questionable is the children's garden since some of the smaller details are still being worked on. Also the restaurant will not be open. I don't know about any of the other specific areas. They are working as hard as they can to get as much finished as possible, without compromising quality. It's been a delicate dance, indeed.

Someone earlier in the thread asked whether they'd be able to bring dogs in. I'll need to check on the status of the dog run area. When the Gardens are open, dogs will be allowed in the greater part of the Garden area, as long as they are on a leash, per City ordinance. The only off-leash area will be the dog run. KEEP IN MIND,however, that dogs ARE NOT ALLOWED at the Festival of the Arts. This is a Festival policy, and as the Gardens effectively "belong" to Festival that week, the policy will be enforced.

Pete, I'm still trying to find out more info for you regarding the contractor. I can say that the lighting group is Alvine Engineering. The local contractor was Shawver and Son. I don't know if this is the same group Devon is using for their facility, or not.

Thunder will be happy to note that while the lakes will be finished, it will be some time before we relocate the koi back into the Gardens' ponds since we want to wait until the waters are biologically balanced enough to sustain fish. It may be a few months.

Did they change the depth of the lake? It looks more shallow now.

[USG'60]

It would seem that all those lights at the tube would screw with the plants ....at least to SOME extent. I assume I am wrong since many of those plants are sensitive exotics.

[metro]

FritterGirl, can the lights be pixelated for graphics

[FritterGirl]

can the lights be pixelated for graphics

No. That may have been in some early discussions, though, but it is not part of the final product. Just color and computer-monitered/timed movement.

Am checking on questions pertaining to the lake depth (I do believe it is more shallow) and the lights' affect on the plants.

[metro]

What is the gravel in the lake for?

[OKC@heart]

Based on the scale of the steps in the picture and the visual depth of the recess from the edge of the walk to the bottom of the pond base, it does not look like it will be sufficient depth for the return of the old Koi; at least the big ones. I recognize that it does taper towards the center and that adds some depth but I wouldn't think that it looks like enough space to support the population that was there previously. That said I have no idea if that was ever the intention, it could be that they are simply going to replace with a specific size and number of them and leave it at that. Just thinking out loud here so would welcome any additional information.

[Spartan]

I can appreciate how there are many more human-friendly elements surrounding the edge of the lake now. It looks like it is really coming together, hard to believe that in a little over a month it will have a "soft opening." The 2012 Festival is going to be HUGE as it will be the first Festival of the Arts in the fully-completed new park.

It's so strange how Devon dominates everything from that angle, from that close. I really hope that for once we get some true park-side development, and I mean for the Myriad Gardens.. It would be nice to see a lot of activity framing it on at least the south and west sides..

[Snowman]

It's so strange how Devon dominates everything from that angle, from that close. I really hope that for once we get some true park-side development, and I mean for the Myriad Gardens.. It would be nice to see a lot of activity framing it on at least the south and west sides..

Between what Devon has donated and the location, they might as well throw in the naming rights and just call it Devon Gardens.

[TAlan CB]

As a former Myriad Garden employee I can tell you the lake was deeper. I use to dive and remove a type of water lily that would annually grow in large numbers, but become infested with insects and turn to "mush" in the pond. We thought it would be better if they simply were not there. Consequently I dove the lake for about 2 Summers pulling up all the lilies by their roots on the bottom of the pond. Close to the side walk it was 4'-6', in the center under the two "bridges" it was 8'-10'. Over time some of this silted- in as there was more than one hill-side slump of soil from excessive rains. Some of this soil was hauled off, but a lot of it made it into the pond.

[Doug Loudenback]

Surprise. Lighting tests from last night.

This is just one test, but shows you the capabiilties of what can be done. I'll post more in a bit. They are taking forever to upload.

They've already decided on color schemes for various holidays and events, as well as Thunder games, of course!

Coupled with LED lighting schemes throughout the entire Gardens, people are really going to be in for a spectacular nighttime experience.

Frittergirl, that is amazing! Thanks for posting.

[Kerry]

Here are the lights in motion.

[Kerry]

Myriad Gardens - Devon Tower - Oklahoma River Bridges. If OKC keeps this up will be a small version of Hong Kong.

[Thunder]

Yay!!! That is the one main attraction, the pond and all the fishies. :-D

Kerry, nice rainbow! Never knew we be getting a light show.

[jn1780]

I wonder how often they would use the lighting programs versus just keeping a static lighting scheme.

[dankrutka]

Great video and article on the Myriad Gardens progress:
http://newsok.com/myriad-gardens-won...ad_story_title

[jn1780]

Will they use the new bandshell this year? It doesn't seem like the newly planted grass will be healthy enough for people to sit or walk on. I guess they will just go for it and see what happens.

[ljbab728]

Will they use the new bandshell this year? It doesn't seem like the newly planted grass will be healthy enough for people to sit or walk on. I guess they will just go for it and see what happens.

If it's like grass used to sod football fields that won't be a problem. For professional stadiums that is sometimes changed and used a few days later. It should not be an issue.

[bombermwc]

Freaking cool!

[Pete]

In the video they said the lights on the crystal bridge can be coordinated with those on Devon Tower.

Sure would be nice to get all the taller buildings involved with this and do something similar to that Hong Kong video -- at least on a small scale.