Red Andrews Park

[Pete]

Situated in the middle of the thriving SoSA neighborhood (also known as the Cottage District), Red Andrews Park is set to receive a complete makeover.

The project will be conducted in two phases and is being funded with a combination of public and private funds.

Plans have been submitted to the Urban Design Commission to remove the large surface parking lot and redo all the landscaping while saving 10 mature trees.

A gymnasium that sits in the middle of the park will be addressed in a subsequent phase.

New on-street angled and parallel parking will be added on the surrounding streets.

New ADA sidewalks will replace the existing walkways and other additions include, picnic tables, bike racks, bench seating and lighting.

Currently the park is dominated by the parking lot on the north half of the block and long, winding sidewalks and the large north to south slope on the property. The new plans call for much more green space and reworking the sidewalks in a more integrated way.

[AP]

This is great. I've wanted this park addressed for a while.

[Pete]

With SoSA really filling in all around it, this park could become a gathering place much like Mesta Park to the north.

If you've seen the current state of things, it's mainly a huge parking lot that rarely gets used and then these series of crazy long ADA sidewalks with railings.

The skyline views from here are awesome as it sits at the top of the considerable slope on Shartel, so this will really be a great spot once revamped.

[LakeEffect]

The City used to run one of its basketball leagues here... the parking lot filled up for that, but only that. Are they still doing so?

[HangryHippo]

This is more great news. This park should see a lot more consistent use with these renovations.

[onthestrip]

Glad they arent mowing down the mature tress like we did at the Civic Center lawn...

[HangryHippo]

Glad they arent mowing down the mature tress like we did at the Civic Center lawn...

I really like what they did with the Civic Center park, but in this neighborhood park, I'm with you. Glad they are making an effort to save some of the mature trees.

[Pete]

Walked by Centennial Park today for the first time since it very first opened and it's already starting to mature nicely.

I was not so sure about all the expense of that project and the removal of beautiful trees, but I have to saw that park is starting to look really good now. In another couple of years I think any hard feelings about the trees will be replaced with how much nicer the park is now.

They just know so much more about landscape architecture these days and it really shows in this project.

[Spartan]

I am really glad this park is being addressed. I'd like if OKC could find a way to use this as a model for some nice, low key neighborhood park renovations.. Just use the splash park bond money or whatever tacky idea they'll have next.

[shawnw]

I like this a lot, but why do we have to Hargraves-ify every park now?

[Pete]

Just removing that massive, horrible parking lot and creating green space will make a huge difference.

Also, the gym right in the middle is really ugly, especially on the east side where huge mechanical equipment is on full display for the few people who actually use the small bit of playground and 2 benches nearby.

[Spartan]

The gym is a monument to the disinvestment this community got from us before gentrification... SoSA may be the only area of OKC where that insidious word actually applies to. Cottage District no more!

(Btw, not all "actual gentrification" is bad. Sometimes you just don't have assets to save.)

[Pete]

One thing that they don't plan to change but should...

There is a siren on the west end of the park that is just yards from SoSA Heights and about level with the top units.

I rent the top eastern unit and I knew darn well that siren was going off at noon on Saturday but the decibel leverl was ear-shattering. Those sirens go on for a while and when it stopped my ears were ringing for a long time, and that was with the windows closed.

There has to be some sort of regulation about having those sirens so close to living units. I'm not exaggerating when I say it could easily harm my hearing.

If they moved it to the top of the gym, at least that way there would be a little distance between it and the nearing homes.

[AP]

Who do you even talk to to get it moved?

[ethansisson]

Those sirens go on for a while and when it stopped my ears were ringing for a long time, and that was with the windows closed. [...] I'm not exaggerating when I say it could easily harm my hearing.

If you hear ringing in your ears after it stops, it very well may be damaging your hearing. There are a lot of different causes of tinnitus (hearing ringing in your ears), but when it happens right after being exposed to loud levels of sound, it's almost certainly due to trauma to stereocilia of the hair cells in your inner ear. Your ears will typically recover from mild acoustic trauma like that in a few hours to a couple of days. However, with regular repeated exposure (potentially even a few minutes every Saturday) the risk of death of the hair cells over time is greater. This causes hearing loss.

I mention this to validate your concern about the siren harming your hearing and encourage you to pursue getting the siren moved. Hearing loss caused by hair cell death is permanent.

[HOT ROD]

One thing that they don't plan to change but should...

There is a siren on the west end of the park that is just yards from SoSA Heights and about level with the top units.

I rent the top eastern unit and I knew darn well that siren was going off at noon on Saturday but the decibel leverl was ear-shattering. Those sirens go on for a while and when it stopped my ears were ringing for a long time, and that was with the windows closed.

There has to be some sort of regulation about having those sirens so close to living units. I'm not exaggerating when I say it could easily harm my hearing.

If they moved it to the top of the gym, at least that way there would be a little distance between it and the nearing homes.

Maybe move it to the skyscrapers？could go on top of one or a few and cover all of downtown, no？

[CCOKC]

I would agree something needs to be done. A few weeks ago my husband and I were walking the south side of the river trail and walked by the siren right at noon. It was not a pleasant experience. There is also one right by the Museum of Art that is unbearable if eating on the patio. I appreciate the sirens and the service they provide but it seems that if they are put in places where people are encouraged to be outside there could be some kind of remedy for potential hearing loss.

[shawnw]

Maybe start by contacting COMEA?

http://www.okc.gov/sirens/

[Pete]

^

Thanks! I'm going to contact them.


I understand the importance of the warning system but don't understand why those sirens run for so longer during the Saturday tests.

Also, I'm really concerned about my animals as dogs and cats have much more sensitive hearing than humans.

[Plutonic Panda]

Oklahoma City's Red Andrews Park, long a trouble spot in its neighborhood, is set to be an asset | News OK

[shawnw]

Trouble spot?

[ljbab728]

Trouble spot?

I'm sure that was a reference to this statement.

Red Andrews Park that for years made headlines for violence than for kids’ activities is being reclaimed by its neighborhood that itself has undergone a transformation.

[AP]

With this project and the Valir reno and the recent Emerson renvo coupled with all of the on-going construction in SOSA, this area is getting a major face lift.

[Pete]

There are also a ton of small residential projects under construction.

The area is changing very rapidly and of course, prices have skyrocketed.

[DoctorTaco]

Trouble spot?

The few times I've taken my kids there I have found it littered with empty (cheap) liquor bottles and cigarettes. I've always been on the lookout for dirty needles lying on the ground (seriously it has that vibe) and, even in the bright sun of the mid-afternoon, I've been made uncomfortable by lingering, loitering intoxicated men.

And please realize I am not some delicate housewife from Deer Creek talking here. I live in the core and am much more comfortable than most when it comes to the realities of city life. Even with that said this park has been nasty.