Tulsa Parks to Develop Master Parks Plan

It’s been 30 years since the City of Tulsa developed a Master Parks plan. That will change this week, when park planners from GreenPlay LLC, out of Broomfield, CO., will conduct a series of focus groups in Tulsa to receive input about Tulsa’s Park System. The focus groups will take place through March 5.

The results of the six focus groups will be presented in a Public Forum, to be held Thursday, March 5 at 7 p.m. at Central Center at Centennial Park, 1028 E. 6th St. Tulsa. The public is invited to attend.

The Tulsa Parks system includes 125 parks covering roughly 6,000 acres. The largest park, Mohawk, is 2,820 acres, and the smallest, Gunboat North or South, is one-quarter acre in size. Also included in the park system are two nature centers, a 65-acre Zoo & Living Museum, a Garden Center, 21 swimming pools, 197 sports fields, 83 playgrounds, 109 tennis courts, 28 water playgrounds, the River Skate Park, 69 picnic shelters, 18 community centers, hiking and biking trails, fitness facilities, gymnasiums and a dog park. A wide range of programs are offered year-round to recreation enthusiasts of all ages, economic levels and ethnicity.

The GreenPlay team will be at work in Tulsa through October 2009. During the project, they will review and evaluate the parks and its programs, conduct a needs assessment/demand analysis and develop a level of service and design standards guidelines. They will also establish classifications and criteria for future parks, open space and trails; develop park and open space maps to identify future park and open space locations; and estimate capital improvement costs and funding options.

Creation of the new Master Plan for Tulsa Parks is funded by private donations through the Tulsa Community Foundation. GreenPlay LLC was selected for the plan development contract after the company applied through the City of Tulsa RFP procedure in fall 2008.