Scissortail Park

[soonerguru]

Can't tear down another local landmark. The cock ring is here to stay, for generations to enjoy with chortles and giggles.

[Plutonic Panda]

I too enjoy the cock ring. Perhaps the “portal” idea could be a feature of thunder alley.

[Rover]

This thread is like 5 year olds giggling about poop.

[Plutonic Panda]

This thread is like 5 year olds giggling about poop.

LOOOLLLOLLOP YOU said POOP

[David]

We have a bunch of sister cities, right? It's just stealing the idea completely from Poland and Lithuania but a collection of those portal screen setups with each of our sister cities would be cool.

Hah, and looking back in the thread I see that it was Panda's original suggestion.

[Plutonic Panda]

That’s what I was thinking. Create multiple “portals” to each sister city. It wouldn’t be easy though. Would be cool too maybe to place one in Scissortail and one in Gathering Place which could be more doable.

[lady_o]

Scissortail / Gathering would actually be really cool

[Pete]

What's interesting to me that there was lots of hand-wringing about the need for the park since it's so close to the Myriad Gardens. And that it was too basic to be of any real use.

And yet, you could argue that Scissortail Park is one of the great MAPS success stories. And it seems that will only be more the case when the lower section opens and directly connects downtown to the River and beyond.

There was lots and lots of bellyaching about Hargreaves (the park planners) but it turns out, they knew what they were doing.

I'm actually surprised by the success of the park and we are really just getting started. Besides the Lower Park we have yet to start with the concerts and conventions that will draw some really big crowds; Spark hasn't even opened and Union Station is yet to be renovated; the landscaping is not even close to mature. So much upside.

All this makes me very happy every time I go down there and it's fun to think about the future when the west side of the park is finally developed.

[PoliSciGuy]

Gotta think the park would also spawn some condos/mixed use buildings on the borders to take advantage of the views/vendors in that area. As you said that whole west side up to Walker avenue has some tremendous potential. I hope we don't convert too much of it into parking.

[Pete]

The city has minimum height and other requirements for the land bordering the park.

It seems like the perfect place for mid-rise housing and hotels. Strawberry Fields enjoys an infinitely better location than the Wheeler District and I hope the quality of development is at least half as good.

[king183]

What's interesting to me that there was lots of hand-wringing about the need for the park since it's so close to the Myriad Gardens. And that it was too basic to be of any real use.

And yet, you could argue that Scissortail Park is one of the great MAPS success stories. And it seems that will only be more the case when the lower section opens and directly connects downtown to the River and beyond.

There was lots and lots of bellyaching about Hargreaves (the park planners) but it turns out, they knew what they were doing.

I'm actually surprised by the success of the park and we are really just getting started. Besides the Lower Park we have yet to start with the concerts and conventions that will draw some really big crowds; Spark hasn't even opened and Union Station is yet to be renovated; the landscaping is not even close to mature. So much upside.

All this makes me very happy every time I go down there and it's fun to think about the future when the west side of the park is finally developed.

Absolutely right. My wife and I visit the park far more often than we thought we would. It's just a great place to take a walk and there's almost always an interesting event going on there. Last weekend we went to the Unite the People Powwow and that was fantastic. The park is only going to get better as the landscaping matures.

[Pete]

Speaking of walking, press release:

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

The Oklahoma City-County Health Department is partnering with Scissortail Park’s Walking Club and encouraging residents to put on their walking shoes and take to the park’s paved trails each week.

The club meets every Thursday at 9 a.m. and starts its walk at the boathouse on the Park’s west side. Walkers are invited to bring their leashed pets and strollers. Participation is free and the Scissortail Park Foundation plans to purchase t-shirts and other goodies for participants. (Details below about media event on Thursday.)

OCCHD has previously participated in events that took place within the Park, but this is the first time that the agency has partnered with one of the Park’s activities.

“Since it’s opening in 2019, Scissortail Park has truly become a place for everyone, which aligns perfectly with the work that we do in public health,” said Dr. Patrick McGough, OCCHD CEO. “Walking has many incredible benefits that could help prevent future medical issues, so we are hoping to see participants from across the county.”

The club launched in May and is now up to walking two miles with plans to go farther. But people can walk as far or as short as they want at each club meeting.

Besides walking, the club provides an extra benefit since it’s a group exercise program. People are more likely to show up to group classes than exercising alone because classmates and the instructor expect them to be there. Group classes can also be motivational since participants may push themselves to walk faster than if they were walking by themselves.

“We are always thrilled when a new partner recognizes the value we bring to the community as a site that promotes health,” said Maureen Heffernan, CEO of Scissortail Park and Myriad Botanical Gardens. “We value the knowledge that the health department will bring to this program. Make the walking club a regular date on your calendar to come out and walk in our beautiful Park. “

Every first Thursday of the month, OCCHD will have one of its program directors on site to discuss the agency’s work toward improving health outcomes across Oklahoma County, and how people can get involved. On June 3, OCCHD’s Total Wellness Supervisor Jennifer Like will discuss the free eight-week health and wellness program and when the next class will start.

Individuals are encouraged to sign up by visiting scissortailpark.org/calendar. Updates on the class will be posted on the park’s social media pages. Follow them @scissortailpark.

[soonerguru]

What's interesting to me that there was lots of hand-wringing about the need for the park since it's so close to the Myriad Gardens. And that it was too basic to be of any real use.

And yet, you could argue that Scissortail Park is one of the great MAPS success stories. And it seems that will only be more the case when the lower section opens and directly connects downtown to the River and beyond.

There was lots and lots of bellyaching about Hargreaves (the park planners) but it turns out, they knew what they were doing.

I'm actually surprised by the success of the park and we are really just getting started. Besides the Lower Park we have yet to start with the concerts and conventions that will draw some really big crowds; Spark hasn't even opened and Union Station is yet to be renovated; the landscaping is not even close to mature. So much upside.

All this makes me very happy every time I go down there and it's fun to think about the future when the west side of the park is finally developed.

The park is no doubt a success but the decision to level the trees is embarrassing. Apparently that was not the designers' idea, as they did no such thing with Gathering Place.

The little starter trees provide no shade and there are scant evergreens, making the park look like a barren wasteland during winter months. It's also just weird to have a "central park" with no mature trees.

For the record I do love that the park exists and go there literally every weekend for the farmers market.

[Pete]

^

The same was said about Centennial Park and within a matter of a few years, the new trees started to look great.

[jn1780]

Look at the google maps photo on post #8 in this thread. There wasn't a whole lot of trees to begin with, mostly just a concrete/asphalt wasteland. Funny thing, the greatest concentration of trees was around that old I-40 off ramp where the Omni currently sits.

There are a lot more trees where the lower park sits, but even than there are more directly west of where the park is being build.

[Pete]

And, they are going out of their way to preserve the trees in the lower park.

Hargreaves has done a great job IMO.

[BoulderSooner]

Apparently that was not the designers' idea,.

it was absolutely the designers idea

[Teo9969]

One thing to remember about trees: left to their own devices they can grow pretty haphazardly. Here's a Google Streets image from 2015. Not one of those trees is remarkable.

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4600...7i13312!8i6656

No doubt people walked all around this land before making a decision and I'm sure if they saw a tree that was something you could build around then they would have strongly considered.

The greatest mistake of this park is and always will be demoing the Film Exchange building instead of incorporating that into the park. They could have done restoration work on the East and South elevations since they contain the iconic architectural elements of the time period, then re-imagined the West and North elevations.

I'd've made the North elevation a "mural wall" maybe close out some windows or keep them in, but the mural would be commissioned either annually or bi-annually to keep a fresh element to the park.

Then I'd've blown out the West Elevation Wall and incorporated it in the park, could have even created a 3rd story that could be rented out for concerts with a more "VIP" experience. I don't think it would have had a dramatic impact on the Great Lawn.

The biggest negative I can imagine with it would have dealt would have been the view from the convention center. Given that the Film Exchange seemed to stay up for a while longer than the rest of the buildings in the area, I can only imagine it was a topic of conversation behind doors. I looked back through the threads and all of that was happening in the same 3-6 month period.

[Pete]

[shawnw]

on the ST IG they were planting trees in the lower park yesterday

[Bellaboo]

on the ST IG they were planting trees in the lower park yesterday

I hope they survive the summer. They should wait until at least September.

[TheTravellers]

I hope they survive the summer. They should wait until at least September.

Yeah, it's pretty much a no-brainer to not plant things in OK in Jun-Aug.

[Pete]

This project is being run by nationally-known landscape architects (Hargreaves).

I suspect they know what they're doing.

[shawnw]

I'm sure the folks that planted the first batch of trees along the boulevard that almost immediately died were also experts :-P

[Pete]

^

That was a city/odot project not a MAPS project where they hired and paid a lot of money to a big landscape architecture firm.

Also, the boulevard is treated just like any other city maintenance, which is to say poorly. Scissortail is endowed by millions for maintenance and programming, just like the Myriad Gardens. How many dead trees do you see in those parks?

Not an apt comparison.