Simon Outlet Mall 61st & Hwy 75

[AquaMan]

There was lack of vision to be sure. Chandler was protected by the county long before it was public knowledge as a cool place. And there were people who knew this property's value as a buffer for TM. But keep in mind that its only been the last decade that TM was overtly managed by RPA. We visited the area with my kids back in the 80's and it was plenty of rugged fun but had lots of signs of crime, drugs and sex and few amenities. It (the buffer area OM wants to use) was owned and for sale by GOCO at the time ....but that's another story.

I believe the nearby Park View apartments and the difficulty of development held up its commercial sale, but the county, the city, foundations, authorities....all dropped the ball.

[Conan71]

It had long been the idea of RPA and the City to acquire all the contiguous land and keep it preserved as wilderness.  The city nor the county never prioritized funding for this.

INCOG's Arkansas River Master Plan, 2004:

"Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area occupies one of the most prominent locations along the river corridor and represents a unique opportunity for substantial urban wilderness in close proximity to the heart of metropolitan Tulsa. The park should be expanded to the extent possible through the acquisition of adjacent undeveloped property and preserved in perpetuity as an urban wilderness/open space area, Development within the park should be limited to uses complementary to this great natural resource, such as hiking, equestrian trails and stables, environmental education and related uses."

Jackie Bubenik, the Godfather of Turkey Mountain also made a similar proclamation when the park was dedicated in 1980:
From: tulsaurbanwildernesscoalition.org

[AquaMan]

I understand they had plans, but after that initial flurry, which coincided with river development upstream, the effort to insulate it seemed to stall. From 1980 to 2004. What happened?

[heironymouspasparagus]

I understand they had plans, but after that initial flurry, which coincided with river development upstream, the effort to insulate it seemed to stall. From 1980 to 2004. What happened?

"Oklahoma Syndrome".

[Breadburner]

I understand they had plans, but after that initial flurry, which coincided with river development upstream, the effort to insulate it seemed to stall. From 1980 to 2004. What happened?

Out of sight out of mind.....Plus it had a bit of a bad rep in those years.......

[Conan71]

Out of sight out of mind.....Plus it had a bit of a bad rep in those years.......

I'd tend to agree with that.  It's a shame though once they did clean it up and build out the area with the new parking lot that funding was not solicited to purchase the land in question.  We do know that Kaiser was silently buying up the other properties and it's been long rumored that he made an offer to the owners of this parcel but he didn't want to pay highway frontage price for park land.

The Y also apparently made an attempt to purchase it when it was re-zoned in 2008, but were unsuccessful in raising what the owner's wanted either.

[AquaMan]

Didn't someone propose a Native American museum nearby a few years ago?

[dbacksfan 2.0]

From 1980 to 2004. What happened?

People went there for two things, and neither was hiking or biking.

[cannon_fodder]

People went there for two things, and neither was hiking or biking.

I hear this crap all the time. Every story on the internet is followed up by someone saying Turkey Mountain is for gay sex hookups and drug addicts. I've been in Tulsa since 2003. In the last 11 years I've probably been to Turkey mountain 500 times. I have never seen evidence of drug abuse (needles, baggies, sketchy people hanging out seemingly waiting for customers) and I've never seen any lewd behavior.

Maybe those were valid concerns more than a decade ago, but lets live in the now.

[Townsend]

I hear this crap all the time. Every story on the internet is followed up by someone saying Turkey Mountain is for gay sex hookups and drug addicts. I've been in Tulsa since 2003. In the last 11 years I've probably been to Turkey mountain 500 times. I have never seen evidence of drug abuse (needles, baggies, sketchy people hanging out seemingly waiting for customers) and I've never seen any lewd behavior.

Maybe those were valid concerns more than a decade ago, but lets live in the now.

This story line was widely covered by local news media for a while, particularly KTUL. 

There was one where the reporter went "undercover" and parked on or near TM. 

They then video'd as someone drove up (possibly the producer...I don't know) and started bad touching himself in the reporter's general direction.

That was when the reporter tore out of there leaving the camera man to fend for himself I guess.

That kind of coverage is retained in the general public's collective adolescent mind much longer than trails and family friendly entertainment.

[RecycleMichael]

I was just scratching my itch.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

I hear this crap all the time. Every story on the internet is followed up by someone saying Turkey Mountain is for gay sex hookups and drug addicts. I've been in Tulsa since 2003. In the last 11 years I've probably been to Turkey mountain 500 times. I have never seen evidence of drug abuse (needles, baggies, sketchy people hanging out seemingly waiting for customers) and I've never seen any lewd behavior.

Maybe those were valid concerns more than a decade ago, but lets live in the now.

That's why I quoted "What happened between 1980 and 2004". During the 80's and early 90's there was a lot of coverage about those issues happening. In the mid 90's there was a concerted and successful effort to clean up the park.

It was more than one news source, it was reported in the World and the Trib as well as the local three and KRMG.

[Breadburner]

I hear this crap all the time. Every story on the internet is followed up by someone saying Turkey Mountain is for gay sex hookups and drug addicts. I've been in Tulsa since 2003. In the last 11 years I've probably been to Turkey mountain 500 times. I have never seen evidence of drug abuse (needles, baggies, sketchy people hanging out seemingly waiting for customers) and I've never seen any lewd behavior.

Maybe those were valid concerns more than a decade ago, but lets live in the now.

No one said that was the case now...We commented on what happened between 1980 and 2004.....You haven't lived here long enough to see what went on up there.....

[rebound]

I had kind of forgotten about Turkey Mountain's prior reputation.  But I live here in the late 80's and recall that was very much the reputation.  (And River Parks had it's share of that aspect as well.)

I thought I'd do a quick Google and came up with a couple of entries:  (There were more, but I forgot to get out of my work VPN and so did not explore...)

Police running "stang" on Turkey Mountain:
http://www.soonerfans.com/forums/showthread.php?112400-TPD-running-quot-stang-quot-up-on-Turkey-Mountain&s=fa05d55241aa2031c5db320e7400b017

Doctor Arrested On Sexual Battery Charges:
http://www.topix.com/forum/tulsa/T4ERPVMS1NAN05G27

[AquaMan]

Nor were those the only parks serving as party grounds! I was propositioned at Chandler in early 2003 (unsuccessfully). Lots of privacy when the lights are out and the cops are busy. But that was then. Concerted efforts to patrol those areas has paid off.