Swan Lake Park and Fountain Questions

[jtcrissup]

Hello everyone-

I try to limit how much I post to the board so as not to consume too much of my time, but I wanted to start a thread on the Swan Lake Park and Fountain Restoration project.  I live in the neighborhood and recently have gotten involved with the project and am excited about being a part of the solution to return Swan Lake Park to a "must see" attraction for Tulsan's and out of towner's.    

Just curious (by show of reply to the topic)...what folks on this board think of Swan Lake City Park:

1) Do you have any interest in seeing Swan Lake Park/Fountain restored (i.e. do you visit it at least once a year for a walk/picnic/drive)?

2) Would you be willing to make a donation (either time, materials, or money) to help in the restoration process?  (Note:  Even a small amount helps show community support...)

3) Would you be willing to attend a fundrasing event centered around a major event in Tulsa (i.e. a viewing party of the Tulsa Run from Utica and Swan Drive with breakfast and mimosas) where the proceeds of the event would benefit the Swan Lake Park project?

4) Would you be more likely to visit Swan Lake Park if there was a pedestrian friendly connection/crossing from Woodward Park across 21st that would connect you with the neighborhood sidewalks (i.e. where woodward drive/ rockford/ terwilliger all dump onto 21st)?  I walked this last weekend and it is (literally) less than a 5 minute walk from Woodward to Swan Lake, but not many people venture across 21st unless they are in a vehicle.  Is this because of traffic (i.e. a blinking pedestrian light would help that)?  Out of site out of mind?  Would signs directing you to Swan Lake make you want to walk on over?

5) I hate asking this one, but I do want to know:  Could you care less about Swan Lake Park(i.e. you didn't even know it was a city park, or that it existed)?  

Please note that this is for my own curiosity and I am not representing anyone else (or group) from the neighborhood in asking these questions.  I will, however, share the results with people in the neighborhood though.

Feel free to PM if you want.  I hope in the coming weeks and months as I learn more about the project and meet with neighbors and city officials to keep Tulsa Now posters updated on progress.  I may even scan some of the drawings/pictures from the design study if I have time...and if there is an interest from the forum posters.

All thoughts and commentary are welcome <bracing myself> even negative ones.  Feel free to stray off the path of the 5 questions I am asking above.  I truly want to know what other Tulsan's think about this City Park.

Cheers

[custosnox]

I haven't been at swan lake in a long time.  I just might have to take a drive over there this weekend to take a look around and see about giving you my thoughts on it.

[jtcrissup]

Forgot to include the modest website that has been developed...hopefully we will get some pictures/renderings on this website soon along with an electronic donation form...

http://www.swanlaketulsa.org/

Thanks again for reading and providing input.  This is one "unique to Tulsa" place that is ready for a facelift.

[booWorld]

1) No (but yes)

2) No

3) No

4) Maybe.  Would signs directing you to Swan Lake make you want to walk on over?  No

5) (I know that Swan Lake Park exists.  It's an interesting area.)

[pmcalk]

JT--

I am very interested in what happens with Swan Lake.  Some of my earliest memories are of my father taking us to the lake on a Saturday to feed the ducks (I know--not legal anymore) after spending the morning at Woodward Park.

I think the idea of a fundraiser is a great one.  Weren't you doing something last summer at the Farmer's Market to raise money?  Did you apply for Vision 2025 money?  Why don't you post more information about how much is needed to do the repairs.

I also think a safe crossing to Woodward is critical.  I have walked that area with my kids, and feel as though I take my life in my hands.  Really, the traffic on 21st is too fast, IMO, given that between Riverside and Lewis, you have two parks, a running path, a school, a pedestrian oriented shopping mall, and a hospital.  Yet, people fly by at 40 miles an hour.  I would love to see the traffic slowed, and more concessions made for pedestrians in that area.

[Double A]

I love the idea about providing more connectivity between Swan Lake and Woodward. The new parks initiative Da Mare's office has proposed might be a good avenue to explore for action on this issue. I would suggest taking it a step further and even to develop routes to other nearby parks like Maple, Gunboat, Tracy, Benedict, and Central park that are within walking distance. I think a walking tour for the attendees of the upcoming convention for the National Trust for Historic Preservation would be a great way to showcase Tulsa's unique historic neighborhoods, parks, and  commercial areas (Cherry St., Utica Square, 18th and Boston) in an afternoon.

[waterboy]

What period of time would you restore it to? Or do you mean rehabilitate it? When I first discovered Swan Lake as a 12 year old exploring the city from my Hercules 10speed, it was an exciting, hidden find. Huge trees, overgrown bushes, giant goldfish (or Koi?) a few ducks and swans, lots of turtles and a quaint depression era fountain. I climbed the fence and walked along the drain pipe that starts on its east end and continues to the middle. From an adults perspective it needed cleaned up and prettied up but from mine it was a perfect Tom Sawyer pond.

don't know why you would want to make it more travelled and congested with impatient drivers than it is now. Keep it a secret for yourselves and visiting family and friends. [] Connecting it with other parks sounds nice but really would end up making it less attractive. I love the old pics of it when it was an amusement park. Now that would be a cool restoration!

[Townsend]

quote:Originally posted by waterboy

I love the old pics of it when it was an amusement park. Now that would be a cool restoration!

There was a trolley line running from there to Sand Springs at the time.  Be cool to have the trolley line...maybe not to Sand Springs.

[jtcrissup]

I will do my best to answer questions...like I said I RECENTLY joined the effort and so I don't have a lot of the background info...yet.  I hope to get up to speed and make things happen with this project...

pmcalk-
Not sure about fundraising at the farmer's market last year, as I was not directly involved with it.  Also no 2025 money was pursued and I think this had something to do with the fact that fountains were to be excluded from any 2025 money.  The Swan Lake Fountain is the focus of the project (but not the entire project).  Projected cost is shown on the website mentioned above ($1.4 million for fountain restoration, water quality improvements, site enhancements, educational signage, and a maintenance endowment that would keep it from returning to this state of disrepair)...I will provide more details as I learn more.  

Double A-
I will look into going through the Mayor's new parks initiative as you suggest.  I think connection to the other parks you list already exist (kinda).  Midland Valley Trail extention connects Maple, Tracy and Central directly.  Gunboat is connected indirectly (11th and 13th St underpasses) and 21st/Peoria and/or 15th/Peoria can be used as a crossing to get from Woodward to the Midland Trail (Same is true for Swan Lake).  The problem is if you want to walk directly to Swan Lake from say, the Linneas Garden at Woodward, you have to walk either to Utica or Peoria for a safe (and legal) road crossing.  Putting one at the halfway point would make that more "ped friendly".  I have looked into the National Historic Preservation COnference and all of their "field sessions" have been filled, so unless someone else got a walking tour on the agenda it won't happen.  

waterboy-
The idea is to replace the existing fountain (which is not structurally sound and therefore irrepairable according to the study) with a replica fountain, so it will look the same only it won't be sinking into the lake bottom as it is now.  Also, water quality would be addressed by adding aerators in the form of either subsurface aearators and/or surface aerators (likely 2 more decorative fountains on either end of the lake to compliment the original fountain and a subsurface aerator to improve dissolved oxygen in/around the original fountain).  Removing the sludge from the bottom of the lake is also important to improve the water quality and prevent smells and algal blooms from forming in the warmer months (right around the corner).  Doubt it will ever be an amusement park again though;)

Townsend-
I have read/heard about the trolley line and it would be nice to have something like that in place, maybe that will come with time, but I am not holding my breath.  Probably only for christmas light tours.  The t-town trolley does run nearby on weekend nights to connect Cherry St with Brookside/downtown/South Boston, which is very promising for things to come in the way of getting around in the area.

[Townsend]

quote:Originally posted by jtcrissup


Townsend-
I have read/heard about the trolley line and it would be nice to have something like that in place, maybe that will come with time, but I am not holding my breath.  Probably only for christmas light tours.  The t-town trolley does run nearby on weekend nights to connect Cherry St with Brookside/downtown/South Boston, which is very promising for things to come in the way of getting around in the area.

Thanks for the reply to my comment.  I responded with more of a pipe dream thing than anything else.  Good luck with your project.

[TheArtist]

I have always imagined that if I had the money I would put a beautiful, black, wrought iron fence around the lake having ornate, gas light, light fixtures built into it going all around.  Also a nice gazebo in the area across the street towards the west would be nice.

But I do think that replacing that chain link fence, even with a simple wrought iron fence would be a much needed improvement. That chain link just looks cheap.

Swan lake is to me one of those places you take people to see when you are showing them around town. Its nice, but could be a crown jewel for the city, and any upgrades would be great.

If I can donate any of my framed photography to sell or be auctioned off at some fund raising event, let me know.

[sgrizzle]

1. Yes (but no)
2. Yes (The fundraising swans is a good idea, although I would think a large yard stake should be $100 if you want to raise real funds)
3. No
4. Maybe. A Blinking light does little to keep you from getting creamed crossing 21st.
5. Pretty close. With the St John's expansion, that area of Utica has too many cars going too fast to see the park.

[PonderInc]

Loved Swan Lake as a kid, still appreciate it as a nice place to walk or drive around. But it could/should be soooo much nicer!

It has an interesting history that many people don't realize....in the early 1900's it was a trolley stop, amusement park (with roller coaster, I believe), and swimming hole...

I definitely think it should be fixed up.  If I recall correctly, there is a plan to fix it, but the $$ estimate is pretty high to  do it right: fix (replace?) the fountain, replace the fencing, landscape improvements, etc, etc.

One thing I've wondered about is why the Swan Lake neighborhood association hasn't been able to connect with wealthy neighborhood residents to get this project off the ground?  Whether asking for donations or seeking grant money, there are surely lots of people in the hood with the finances, expertise, and connections to help make this happen.  

Has anyone organized an effort to educate people about the history of Swan Lake?  Set up a non-profit with a bank account to start collecting donations?  Made a concerted effort to go after grant money or donations?

Not being critical...just curious.  It's a city treasure...not just a private park for a historic neighborhood.  So I'm not saying it's all the neighborhood association's responsibility.  I would definitely donate to the cause even though I don't live nearby.  But somebody's got to ask.

[Dana431]

1) Yes.  Living 2.5 miles away from the park doesn't change how neat that little park is, in my mind.
2) Yes
3) Yes
4) Yes
5) No

Thanks for the link.

[jtcrissup]

quote:Originally posted by TheArtist

I have always imagined that if I had the money I would put a beautiful, black, wrought iron fence around the lake having ornate, gas light, light fixtures built into it going all around.  Also a nice gazebo in the area across the street towards the west would be nice.

But I do think that replacing that chain link fence, even with a simple wrought iron fence would be a much needed improvement. That chain link just looks cheap.

Swan lake is to me one of those places you take people to see when you are showing them around town. Its nice, but could be a crown jewel for the city, and any upgrades would be great.

If I can donate any of my framed photography to sell or be auctioned off at some fund raising event, let me know.

Artist-

Thanks for the offer to donate stuff for a fundraiser...I will be in touch with you in the future as I do hope to have a fundraiser event sometime in 2008...just not sure when/where yet.

The design study does call for several site enhancements, with a new wrought iron fence as the big ticket item (and most bang for the buck if you ask me).  It also calls for educational kiosks/signage, improvements to the "lookout" areas on either side of the lake, among other things.  As with any rendering it looks awesome, just needs funding.  I will try to scan/post renderings today (I want to ask for permission first).