Tulsa World: Green light

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Green light
Downtown park plan progressing

By World's Editorial Writers
Published: 1/3/2009 2:23 AM
Last Modified: 1/3/2009 2:58 AM

Central Park in New York City. Hyde Park in London. The Jardin des Tuileries in Paris.

Will a park on the east side of downtown Tulsa some day be among the ranks of these world-renown park destinations?

Maybe, maybe not. But if the Land Legacy gets its way, Tulsans will soon have their own little slice of heaven right at the edge of downtown.

Major new development is well along in downtown Tulsa, with lots of activity in the Brady District, the opening of the new arena, and work started on the new Drillers' ballpark. Other developments, including hotels, restaurants and residences, are in the planning stages or expected to gel soon.

With lots more people heading downtown to live, work and play, it makes perfect sense to locate just the right park downtown too.

Robert Gregory, the Land Legacy's executive director, said talks about a downtown park on the east side have been occurring for quite some time, but added that the finalizing of the ballpark plan makes selection of a park location more urgent.

Planners hope a downtown park will attract the interest of a prominent anchor such as a library or commercial development. That's a good approach; after all, the world's most attractive parks tend to have something besides just grass and trees to offer.

A potential park shows up on city conceptual plans between Fourth and Sixth streets and Frankfort and Kenosha avenues, but officials say a definite location has not yet been selected.

Gregory hopes some

"tangible result" will be in place by the end of 2009, and we do too. While it's too much to expect work to be done by then, surely funding can be identified and some planning completed by then. Let's just hope it doesn't take five years to finish this park, which was the case for the new H.A. Chapman Centennial Green at Sixth and Main streets.

After many years of false starts and failed attempts, Tulsa's future looks brighter all the time. A dab of green in the midst of it all will make it that much brighter. By World's Editorial Writers

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	Report Comment Eric, Tulsa (1/3/2009 10:30:52 AM) I tend to think of Riverparks and Woodward Park as two jewels of Tulsa. (Provided that development along the river doesn't disturb the beauty)
	Report Comment Big Harp, Florida (1/3/2009 10:47:15 AM) Parks are great, nothing is more beautiful than nature it's self.

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