[N. Tulsa] Improvements at last for O'Brian Park

[SoonerRiceGrad]

SEPTEMBER 27, 2006
North Tulsa, Remembered
A long forgotten park in north Tulsa gets a much-needed makeover.Finally, city "finds" funds in Vision 2025 to help serve the needs of a long-neglected part of the metro area

BY GINGER SHEPHERD

Long neglected, O'Brien Park at 6149 N. Lewis, is finally benefiting from sales tax revenues long overdue this distanct, albeit urban oasis. The park is undergoing a number of renovations and improvements that undoubtedly will increase the number of regulars and draw new users.

Richard Bales, director of Tulsa Parks, said the county's original Four-to-Fix tax provided about $600,000 improvements to O'Brien. With those funds, and a $2 million windfall from the Vision 2025 package, the county parks department has been doing some amazing things in a revitalization plan for this underused, virtually unknown gem of a park, constructed some 40 years ago to deal with what was then a suburban boom in far north and northeast Tulsa.

Some time ago, the recreation center restrooms were updated to comply with the American with Disabilities Act. Two new park restrooms that are compliant with ADA were also built. Air conditioning was replaced and the park's tennis courts were updated.

But what brings new vitality to the park is a complete makeover of its vast grounds.

The Vision 2025 sales tax program allocated about $12.7 million to Tulsa Parks, according to the Vision 2025 web site, www.vision2025.info. The money is set aside to fund projects in O'Brien's master plan; the LaFortune Park Par 3 golf; the Haikey Creek Park Recreation Center; and the Jenks/Glenpool Community Center.

With its portion of the funding, O'Brien has acquired about 20 properties along north Lewis, 66th St. North and 61st St. North, Bales said, increasing the park's size by one-third. Vision 2025 funds paid for half of the properties Tulsa Parks purchased for the O'Brien project.

On this land, Tulsa Parks is constructing a three-hole golf-training center. The center will have a driving range in the middle, he said.

"There is not a facility like it available in that part of county and we have had several requests over the years to provide a driving range and teaching/learning golf environment in the area," Bales said.

So far, Tulsa Parks has built three ponds, the three-hole with three tees per hole practice facility, he said, as well as the driving range and a small golf shop. The shop is set to open on Oct. 6.

"The golf and driving range will allow current park users who participate in golf activities to do so at the park," Bales said. "It will draw a totally new type of user to the park."

O'Brien's improvements are not limited to new golf facilities and will appeal to all park users.

"We are improving more existing park roads and building a new park entrance road and some additionally parking to accommodate the new facilities," he said. The new entrance road is off Lewis.

This spring, a new restroom and concession structure was constructed, he said, built to support the youth baseball complex located in the northeast side of the park. The new restrooms and concession stand were open and used this year.

"The new restrooms and concession at the ball field complex allows us to offer better and different food services to our regular league teams as well as the out-of-town tournament teams that attend games in the park," Bales said.

O'Brien has a successful baseball program based on the number of teams the leagues have each season and the number tournaments held, Bales said; he pointed out that plans for the park include constructing an indoor batting cage to support the baseball complex.

"The batting cage is on hold until we get some of the other park improvements underway, to be sure we pick the right location in relation to all the new facilities," Bales said.

O'Brien's trails have many walkers and joggers. These users will also find new and improved facilities. Bales said park officials relocated walking and jogging trails in the park, and are now found in the southwest portion of O'Brien Park.

Relocation was just one part of improving the system. He said they are planning to install trail lights along the path this winter. Park staffs are hoping to have them operational by spring in order to accommodate the large number of walkers and joggers.

As the park makes improvements for its users, upgrades are made to infrastructure-type systems to better support new and existing facilities at the park. Bales said they are upgrading both electrical and water systems "to allow for all the planned facility upgrades."

The city is updating the overhead power lines along Lewis and 66th St. North as well as those in the interior of the park underground in order to improve the esthetic appearance of the park, he said.

"The upgraded water system will allow us to improve area in our sports fields and improve the overall landscape of the park," Bales said.

Improvements to park are a result of public demand. He said the public has asked for more services. O'Brien's facilities and services also include a weight room, baseball and football fields, indoor and outdoor basketball courts, playgrounds, picnic shelters, and an outdoor swimming pool. More information about the park and its services can be found at www.parks.tulsacounty.org.

Providing those additional services, and making improvements were difficult to get around to.

"For a number of years, we had no funding mechanism to make even regular almost routine improvements to the park," Bales said. "We were trying to maintain existing facilities with limited funds and had no way to improve or even repair things if we had a major need."

As for Tulsa Parks' other Vision 2025 projects, they are underway in one form or another. Bales said the county used $3.4 million of vision funds to purchase 15 acres at 13800 S. Peoria. With the funding, a 20,000 square feet community center and outdoor pool were constructed. Both the center and the pool opened in May.

There are numerous projects at LaFortune Park. Tulsa Parks is working with the City-County library system to construct a community center that is attached to a new library at the park. The community center portion, he said, will be about 14,000 square feet and will cost the county $2 million in vision funds. Bales added that the project has been bid.

The library will be about 10,000 square feet and will be paid by private donations, he said, and will cost about $2.2 million.

"We both are sharing in the site work including the grading, parking lot, water and electric hook ups, etc, which is approximately another $400,000, again our portion is being funded by Vision 2025 funds. And the library portion funded by private dollars," Bales said. The community center and library will be located at 5300 S. Hudson.

"We are also developing plans to continue the development of the gardens area at LaFortune Park at 51st and Hudson into a more garden atmosphere, with more sidewalks, a wedding chapel, outdoor amphitheater and improved water features," he said.

Tulsa Parks is currently working with architectural firms to design the projects and costs. "We have about $500,000 in improvements planned for bidding and construction in the next year or so."

LaFortune will also get three new picnic shelters. The project cost is about $95,000 and two are completed and operational, Bales said, pointing out that his staff hope to have the third completed this month, weather permitting. The projects include electrical and site upgrades that make each shelter compliant with the ADA guidelines.

Tulsa Parks also has $1 million to redesign and rework the par three golf course at LaFortune. Bales said the department does not intend to begin this project until after the PGA Championship is over next August.

Approximately $1.9 million in Vision 2025 funds is set aside for improvements to Haikey Creek Park, he said. Tulsa Parks is working on plans and cost estimates for the improvements based on meeting federal floodplain requirements as well as requirements in Bixby and Broken Arrow. Haikey park is located in each those cities and is divided by Garnett Road.