Gathering Place for Tulsa will be world-class park

[jedicurt]

It will be nice, but I too think it looks a little tricked up... too much going on. I actually like the semi programmed, semi natural feel of ours. But let’s wait til both are finished. I think they are apples and oranges...both good, but different.

i will make a trip up and check it out before giving a final verdict... but yes, it just looks too busy and not enough actual "Park"

[Dustin]

NY Times piece

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/10/a...ing-place.html

[Rover]

Very nice article.

[BG918]

Some recent pictures ahead of the grand opening in a few weeks









One of the Riverside tunnels

[HangryHippo]

This looks stunning! I love it.

[baralheia]

Absolutely amazing! Looks great!

[Johnb911]

I hadn't really been jealous from the overhead shots further up the thread. I am now.

[jedicurt]

i'm still waiting to reserve judgement when i see it in person... but it just looks like way too much for me. i'm much more excited about our park that will have grass and trees and not just be chaos as kids go from one playground to another...

the 3rd picture above is the only one that makes me really want to go see it... the rest... nope.

[Swake]

i'm still waiting to reserve judgement when i see it in person... but it just looks like way too much for me. i'm much more excited about our park that will have grass and trees and not just be chaos as kids go from one playground to another...

the 3rd picture above is the only one that makes me really want to go see it... the rest... nope.

The Gathering Place is not an independent park, it will be part of the larger Riverparks system. If you want wide open grassy areas, Riverparks has that across the river and half a mile north at RiverWest Festival Park where events like Oktoberfest are held. If you want a mountain wilderness area with trails, you can have that too at Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness three miles south. There are more traditional less programmed park spaces all up and down the river. There’s the Route 66 Monument at the end of Riverparks downtown near Crybaby Hill. Riverparks has a soccer complex, a rugby field, disk golf course and an existing skate park in addition to the one at The Gathering Place. Riverparks is really just one huge park with all sorts of elements reaching more than 10 miles up and down the river with trails all along the banks linking it all together.

http://www.riverparks.org/wp-content...-Parks-Map.pdf

[BG918]

Some more pictures before the grand opening

Greenery around the Williams Lodge


Playground areas


Boat dock


The pond


New jogging/bike trail along the river (it looks like they are still working on the river bank areas which is why it is still fenced off)


Skyline view from the cafe

[HangryHippo]

Incredible! I am so jealous of/happy for Tulsa.

[BG918]

This is a cool drone shot from June. Pete needs to take a trip up the turnpike and get some shots!

[shawnw]

Opens on Saturday and will be a madhouse I'm sure.

[OkieHornet]

Opens on Saturday and will be a madhouse I'm sure.

The Roots are playing a free show there at 5pm Saturday.

[shawnw]

While I'd love to see the Roots for free, I can't even imagine what the traffic and crowds will be like, other than introvert hell. So... I'll pass...

[dankrutka]

While I'd love to see the Roots for free, I can't even imagine what the traffic and crowds will be like, other than introvert hell. So... I'll pass...

No doubt it's going to be crazy. One of the best things about this park is how closely it's connected with good trails. It's really safe and easy to bike the Midland Trail from downtown to the park. That would definitely be my route there when it's busy.

[Swake]

No doubt it's going to be crazy. One of the best things about this park is how closely it's connected with good trails. It's really safe and easy to bike the Midland Trail from downtown to the park. That would definitely be my route there when it's busy.

The Gathering Place opening and Comic Con all in one weekend.

[shawnw]

I know it's not the same thing, but our park is also along our river, connected to its trails... not trying to one up anything, but it's been mention several times about gathering/river/trails, so thought I'd point that out...

[dankrutka]

True and a good point. I would say Tulsa’s trails are slightly more accessible to core areas though. Imagine if there was a separated bike trail from Scissortail to Paseo that passed several districts in between... that’s what Tulsa has. You can ride from 3rd Street, Pearl District, downtown, Cherry Street, and 18th & Boston on a separated, safe bike lane to the Gathering Place. That’s not even to mention the Riverside Trail, which is a more popular version of OKC’s river trail.

[Decious]

This park is a great great thing for Tulsa. I have a few friends(mid-30s) who live there and can honestly say that their entire outlook for Tulsa has been altered because of this project.

Also impressive is the framing that has been done leading up to the opening. I really think that it's a breakthrough moment for Tulsa. Amazing things could be built around this park and the momentum carrying over from this project could really push Tulsa forward. I believe that it will.

[PaddyShack]

I can only hope that a booming Tulsa furthers the need for a better transit connection between Tulsa and OKC, and maybe even up to Kansas City...

[jonny d]

I do think the importance of this park is being slightly overstated. It is an awesome looking park, don't get me wrong! But people are making it seem like it will have the same effect as like, Central Park. It isn't. And it isn't downtown. That is something OKC's has going for it. This park does take advantage of the better river (Arkansas vs. Canadian) so I will give it that. But to say this park is infinitely better than what OKC is getting is a far stretch.

Just my opinion.

[Pete]

I know it's not the same thing, but our park is also along our river, connected to its trails... not trying to one up anything, but it's been mention several times about gathering/river/trails, so thought I'd point that out...

Imagine if we had $350 million in a free gift... Scissortail Park and a good chunk of the river could be a lot different.

I've said this before but OKC doesn't get much in terms of free money gifts. We've had some sponsorships by corporations (boathouses, events, etc.) and Aubrey gave some personal money to Boathouse Row projects, but absolutely nothing close to what Kaiser (and others) have done for Tulsa or what seems to be more common in most other cities.

[Decious]

I do think the importance of this park is being slightly overstated. It is an awesome looking park, don't get me wrong! But people are making it seem like it will have the same effect as like, Central Park. It isn't. And it isn't downtown. That is something OKC's has going for it. This park does take advantage of the better river (Arkansas vs. Canadian) so I will give it that. But to say this park is infinitely better than what OKC is getting is a far stretch.

Just my opinion.

Legit. I get that.

I agree that it may be overstated but several of my Tulsa friends have made perspective changes for their families largely because of this park. ItÂ’s real to them and thatÂ’s a great thing. Fleeting high? Maybe. I donÂ’t think so. TheyÂ’re also... due to renewed optimism... discovering other things in Tulsa that have always been there but that they took for granted. I guess that happens in the real world too... and not just on OKCTalk. HA!

As far as our park... I canÂ’t wait! I wasnÂ’t thinking about a comparison. I take my kids to the Myriad Gardens now and Scissortail will only enhance that. Love that itÂ’s specifically downtown. Glad that itÂ’s on the SC line etc. All in. Nevertheless, The Gathering Place is a huge deal for Tulsa. Great stuff.

[jonny d]

Legit. I get that.

I agree that it may be overstated but several of my Tulsa friends have made perspective changes for their families largely because of this park. ItÂ’s real to them and thatÂ’s a great thing. Fleeting high? Maybe. I donÂ’t think so. TheyÂ’re also... due to renewed optimism... discovering other things in Tulsa that have always been there but that they took for granted. I guess that happens in the real world too... and not just on OKCTalk. HA!

As far as our park... I canÂ’t wait! I wasnÂ’t thinking about a comparison. I take my kids to the Myriad Gardens now and Scissortail will only enhance that. Love that itÂ’s specifically downtown. Glad that itÂ’s on the SC line etc. All in. Nevertheless, The Gathering Place is a huge deal for Tulsa. Great stuff.

And I was not meaning that as a slight to the Gathering Place. It is more directed at the people who are using this park to further prosecute OKC. Both have their benefits. One accentuates its natural surroundings, and the other will fill a huge void in an otherwise blossoming south downtown area of OKC. Let's not let this park mean OKC is failing. That was all I was saying.