New projects proposed for Oklahoma River/Stockyards

[Popsy]

"Oklahoma" is not a new name, but it is a new name for the seven mile stretch of river and I do not think you are going to change it despite all of your fussing. As I see it, the naming of that section of the river is inconsequential. Maybe it would gave been more appropriate to name it the OKC Lock and Dam System. As for the North Canadian River, it was not named appropriately to begin with as it only approaches being a river after a hard and prolonged rain. North Canadian Creek would have been more accurately descriptive. Would renaming a creek been less offensive?
If you are intent on fussing about naming something, would it be too much to ask you to fuss about all of the namings of grade schools for some retiring teacher, principal or superintendent. How about stretches of highway or bridges that are named after hack politicians. Those are the type of things that I find irritating.

[travis]

I think renaming that stretch of river was silly and pointless. All it is going to do is confuse tourists and possibly some locals. The North Canadian River (I refuse to call it the Oklahoma River) has had that name for a few hundred years. I believe it was named that by French explorers who thought it would lead in to Canada. And wasn't OKC started where the Santa Fe Railroad crossed the North Fork of the Canadian River? And it does show the city and state as insecure. Why rename just a seven mile stretch unless you are trying to call attention to it. Just improve the river and it will attract people without having to rename it. By the way, Dallas is also getting ready to improve their river at about ten times more elaborate than OKC is, and I have not heard one proposal to rename the Trinity River as the Dallas or Texas river.

[brianinok]

WOW! We sure like to over-analyze, moan, and complain about unimportant and inconsequential things like the name of a "river."

[Patrick]

Just thought I'd add...the difference in opinion here is awesome. I'm glad to see the well-planned, in depth posts on this issue, both for and against the name change. And our city leaders are reading, even if the decision has already been made.

[NewPlains]

What gets me is that it's not officially the Oklahoma River, but the Oklahoma! River. As in the musical. I don't think this should really suprise anyone, given our leaders annoying habit of renaming segments of streets downtown for no apparent reason. This is really the same principle, just on a larger scale.

[travis]

The "Oklahoma!" River? When I posted earlier I didn't even realize this. That is about the dumbest name. I guess they got that from the musical; how original. Please tell me they didn't put it on the signs this way. I have been living in Dallas the last four years and I am getting realy tired of trying to explain why the city and state does what it does. It keeps getting harder to defend my hometown.

[mranderson]

If you crossed the state line from Florida to Georgia or the reverse (on I-95 or 75) you will find a sign announcing the Suanee River. On that sign, it has many musical notes, and a note mentioning the "famous song" by Stephen Foster.

So, it is not unusual for states and cities to place signage honoring something like a play or song.

[BDP]

As I see it, the naming of that section of the river is inconsequential

Apparently not, or we would not have spent money and time changing it. And, let's be honest here, all the "fussing" started with the movemnet to change it, did it not? The people who spent over a year changing this thing are the real bitches here. If anything, the resentment stems from the very fact that it was a completely wasteful and ineffective thing to do. It's just exacerbated by the fact that they felt this waste was justfied and their complaints motivated by naming it probabaly the most unoriginal thing conceivable.

Please tell me they didn't put it on the signs this way.

Let's just say that you don't want to see the signs for a variety of reasons.

[travis]

Great, the last time I drove up I35, I didn't notice them, maybe it was just my mind not letting my eyes see. After these discussions, I will probably notice them and groan everytime I drive up. I just hope no one in my office notices them, I already get teased for being from there. The river itself does look pretty good however.

[okcpulse]

Travis, the exclamation mark was not put on the highway signs crossing the river. And although the legislative declatory bill renamed the river as the Oklahoma! River, many publications, ads and signage make no reference to the exclamation mark.

I don't think Texans have any room to talk. None. You don't have to explain anything to them about your home city, because most of what they believe is bull****. Everytime I drive through Dallas, I am always amazed at how the city lets scrap-metal junk yards and acres of salvage yards along I-45 south of downtown Dallas.

Why does Dallas allow an office building to sit vacant near I-35 as a complete eyesore. Everytime I drive by the same office building, it collects more graffiti and more broken windows. Texans can make fun of our liquor laws (which have absolutely no religious influence, don't put that past me, I know the liquor lobby), but what state is dumb enough to set up wet/dry counties and wet/dry precincts all over Dallas? Their liquor stores close at 9PM and on Sundays, just like ours. I do like the fact Texas allows the sale of wine in grocery stores, but that doesn't make me want to move there.

Look, I will not argue Texas' economic success and status as a major national economic engine, but Texas has its short-comings as well.

Yes, yes, I admit I am moving to Texas as well this December, to Conroe, but only because of family reasons. Not because I desire 'greener pastures'. People down in Houston can tease me about being from OKC all they want, but I still have plans for OKC. I really don't care what they have to say.

[BDP]

You're right. I just drove by one of the signs and it does not have the exclamation point. That omission doesn't really make them any more attractive, but oh well. Hopefully the signage will be rethought once the river begins to take shape.

As far as Texas goes, I think we look to it too much sometimes as a reference. And I certainly don't want to use Texas's mistakes as an excuse for our own.

[travis]

I never meant to say that Dallas was a great city, it's not (although it does have a few nice areas). Bad crime, pollution, traffic, schools, and there is not much logic to the street layout. I just have always defended OKC when needed but it's things like this that I have to just accept criticizem on. I never meant to turn this discussion in to a Dallas vs. OKC thing.

I guess it is realy not that big of a deal, after all, getting it changed back would be near impossible anyway. I just don't agree with it, and aparantly I'm not the only one.

[mranderson]

There is too much going off topic, however, this is a topic worth discussing. So, I will start another thread about comparing Oklahoma City and Dallas. That way, this one can get back on topic.

[jbrown84]

I would prefer the whole length of the river in the state be renamed the Oklahoma River, but that is what so many complained about, especially Canadian County officials.

[Proactive Volunteer]

I hope that a system to clean the debris out of the river is in place before they start the river boats. I stopped yesterday at a new parking area on the river just east of Meridian and the debris in the water on the north bank in that area was terrible. The area at the waterfalls in the boat house park that was built on Byers was even worse. It seems this trash must come from the tributaries along the river as Lake Overholser should keep it from floating down from any further up stream. I wonder if the River Development Authority has made any plans for this or even thought of it. It would be extremely embarrassing for any tourist to see this area as it is now.

It is my understanding that the city storm water runoff drains into the river which explains that after a rain, we see more trash in the river. Seems to me, we need to either find a way to sain the trash before it goes into the river and also find some proactive ways to address the city's litter problems.

[Patrick]

It is my understanding that the city storm water runoff drains into the river which explains that after a rain, we see more trash in the river. Seems to me, we need to either find a way to sain the trash before it goes into the river and also find some proactive ways to address the city's litter problems.

If we had a real street cleaning system in this city, like other major cities, we wouldn't have this problem. Seeing a street cleaner in OKC is rare. Yes, we have them, but not enough.

[BDP]

...but that is what so many complained about, especially Canadian County officials.

Those jerks. I wish they'd just change the name of their county to Oklahoma County. It's so confusing to drive through Canadian County. I mean, am I in Oklahoma or Canada? I sure hope the national media doesn't pick up on the fact that we have a county named Canadian. That would be embarrassing.

[travis]

I know what you mean. I drive up I35 about once a month, and everytime I see the Canadian County sign I wonder if I went to far. But just as I am about to turn around, I see the sign for the Oklahoma River (excuse me, I mean the OKLAHOMA! River). Then I know I am in the right spot.

[BDP]

[fromdust]

Those jerks. I wish they'd just change the name of their county to Oklahoma County. It's so confusing to drive through Canadian County. I mean, am I in Oklahoma or Canada? I sure hope the national media doesn't pick up on the fact that we have a county named Canadian. That would be embarrassing.

its just a name. what do you think just because you might drive through texas county youre in texas? why would it be embarrassing? every state has unusual names for counties. calafornia has a county named shasta. how embarrassing to have the same name as a soda. ohio has one thats named licking county.
watch out when you drive through washington county. are you in washington or oklahoma?
its just a name.

[floater]

Jeez, guys, it doesn't matter. We're still enjoy the river like never before, right? We're about to put this body of water to use more than many other riverside communities, so let's just enjoy it. It's our urban park.

A couple of random thoughts: with the projects underway, I don't see the need to rush in developing the river. Central Park, the Riverwalk, etc, all took decades to develop into the hives of activity they are. As long long as we have the recreational basics (trails, lighting, bridges, benches/wastebaskets, equipment rentals), I think the river fills its purpose. Let's be careful with what we put on the river, make sure they fit into the plan, are of the best quality and have long-term viability.

Secondly, I REALLY want to have horse stables on the river...

And for the late comers to the forum, here's what I suppose is the master plan for the river. A presentation delivered by Jim Couch last year, on slides 13 - 20:

http://www.okc.gov/planning/roundtab...iles/frame.htm