Gathering Place for Tulsa will be world-class park

**Pete** · 09-07-2018, 09:34 AM

One huge difference between the Tulsa park and Myriad Gardens / Scissortail is that the latter already has hundreds of millions in construction projects rising all around with much more to come.

The Gathering Place mainly backs up to nice residential areas and therefore will not spur anywhere near the same level of new investment.

The parks are just very different in many ways, down to even the fundamental purpose.

**Decious** · 09-07-2018, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by jonny d

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.

Completely agree.

**BG918** · 09-07-2018, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by Pete

One huge difference between the Tulsa park and Myriad Gardens / Scissortail is that the latter already has hundreds of millions in construction projects rising all around with much more to come.

The Gathering Place mainly backs up to nice residential areas and therefore will not spur anywhere near the same level of new investment.

The parks are just very different in many ways, down to even the fundamental purpose.

Very true, that to me is one of the biggest detractors from this park is that its impact is somewhat constrained by its surroundings. Though to the south there is space for redevelopment which is part of "Phase 3". No details have been released but it has been discussed that it will include high density residential development where the Crow Creek apartments used to be located. I know some of the property owners around 18th & Boston 3/4 mile to the north think this will spur new development in that area since it's adjacent to the Midland Valley trail that connects the park to Cherry Street and downtown. There is also a proposal by Coury Hospitality to build a 7 story hotel at 21st & Boston:

Phase 2 is the next big project on the south end of the site. This will transform the areas used for construction parking and laydown into additional parkland and includes the new $35 million Tulsa Children's Museum and a trail connecting the park to Brookside.

Children's Museum rendering

**soonerfan_in_okc** · 09-07-2018, 11:26 PM

Park opens tomorrow with a parade and finishes with the concert. I got to take part in a sneak peek this week and was really impressed. The children’s play area was overwhelming and felt a bit discombobulated, but I know I would love it if I were 10 years old. everything else was great - my favorite part was the lounge docks on the pond.

**BG918** · 09-10-2018, 10:55 AM

Riverside is now open after being closed for 3 years during construction. The jogging/bike trail along the river has also reopened. The pedestrian bridge link to the west bank trail is still closed until the existing bridge is demolished and rebuilt starting next year. The bridge over Riverside below will connect the ped bridge to the MV trail which goes downtown.

**Laramie** · 09-14-2018, 07:35 AM

My oldest son texted me saying 'Awesome' what they have done with Riverside after he saw the 'Gathering Place.' He still remembers the trips to Tulsa as a child fishing off the old bridge staying at the Camelot Inn. He drives the big rigs throughout the U.S. sees a lot of country. Loves Tulsa, he currently lives there; also commented on Kaiser's generosity.

**BG918** · 09-17-2018, 05:09 PM

A few more aerials from before the park opened

The boathouse at night

The playgrounds

**Dustin** · 09-18-2018, 12:00 AM

World. Class.

**Swake** · 09-21-2018, 05:20 PM

Here's some phase II renderings and info.

This is the new $45 million home for Tulsa Children's Museum Discovery Lab that is part of Phase II. It will be located on Riverside at 33rd, along Crow Creek. Construction should start next year and be done in 2020. Phase II along Crow Creek will take the park to within two blocks of the Brookside commercial district. Crow Creek is the "brook" in Brookside.

The new $60 million Zink Dam with a white water flume and the new $25 million pedestrian bridge should be done about the same time.

**PaddyShack** · 09-26-2018, 03:05 PM

Do you have a link or more info on the Zink Dam project?

**BG918** · 09-26-2018, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by PaddyShack

Do you have a link or more info on the Zink Dam project?

Zink Dam will be rebuilt while they are building the new pedestrian bridge. Here is the plan which doesn't show the latest curved design for the bridge:

https://riverprojectstulsa.info/inde...l-improvements

**Dustin** · 11-08-2018, 12:24 AM

I visited this amazing park last weekend. I recommend arriving via shuttle. Parking would've been a nightmare if we had tried to drive there ourselves. We parked at Riverspirit casino and took a bus. I'm sure it's better during the weekday.

I felt like I was at an amusement park minus the rides. There was no lack of things to do and your eyes never got bored. Everywhere you looked, there was beauty. The detail that went into this park is mindblowing.

Highly recommend!

**John1744** · 05-14-2019, 11:29 AM