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City Announces Largest Improvements Project for Playgrounds, Sports Courts in Tulsa Parks History

6/28/2024
This article was archived on 7/31/2024
The City of Tulsa has launched the largest effort in Tulsa Parks history to revitalize nearly all playgrounds and sports courts across the City’s Parks system.
Improvements are planned for 98% of all the City’s sports courts, as well as replacements to 29 playgrounds, the addition of two new playgrounds to existing Tulsa Parks locations without a current playground, and 20 enhancement projects to existing playgrounds.
The comprehensive renovation project aims to enhance City recreational facilities by creating more modern, fun, accessible, and safe spaces for everyone to enjoy. Improvements and upgrades will start with 22 sports courts locations throughout the Tulsa Parks system, the first of which started in June at McClure and Hicks parks. Renovations to sports courts and playgrounds are expected to continue through 2026.
 
“Quality parks are something that benefit every Tulsan in so many ways, from health to quality of life to property values,” Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “I want to thank my fellow Tulsans for approving Improve Our Tulsa, which allows us to invest in ourselves as a community at this historic level.”
The $9.8 million in playground renovations and upgrades are funded through the Improve our Tulsa I and II capital improvements packages, as well as other Park funds, grants, and private partnerships. All upgrades and renovations to sports courts are funded through Improve our Tulsa II, with a total cost of $4.8 million. The first phase of sports courts renovations will cost roughly $900,000 and will provide 32 new pickleball courts, five new basketball courts, three new volleyball courts, one new futsal court, one new "all sports" court (for field hockey, bike polo, futsal/court soccer, etc.), and one chin lone court (southeast Asian sport growing in popularity in Tulsa). This will also include resurfacing of 33 existing tennis courts, and 11 basketball or half basketball courts.
Planned upgrades are based on a 2022 Tulsa Parks condition assessment to evaluate the condition and "playability,” or fun factor, at each of the City’s 109 playgrounds at 88 parks to determine how best to prioritize improvements. Throughout that process, Parks maintenance and recreation staff were consulted, and evaluations were also made from the 2020"Let’s Talk Tulsa Parks" survey responses. Discussions were then had with Tulsa city councilors and neighborhood groups to determine the playgrounds that are the most used and the most in need of improvements. An improvements plan was then formulated and approved by the Tulsa City Council in 2023.
 “I am incredibly excited to see these improvements take place in every Tulsa Council district,” Council Chair Jeannie Cue said. “These improvements are going to shape the way Tulsans recreate in our city for generations to come.”
All projects will encompass many improvements, including:
 “Nearly every Tulsan is going to see improvements to Tulsa Parks in their neighborhood over the next several years, and we are thrilled to finally these renovations get underway,” Parks Director and Chief of Culture and Recreation Anna America said. “These upgrades will rejuvenate our playgrounds and sports courts, promote physical activity, foster a stronger sense of community, and be more accessible for people of all abilities.”
 
Sports courts renovations are planned first, followed by upgrades to playgrounds. All renovation projects are expected to be completed in phases, focusing on minimizing disruptions to Tulsa Parks visitors.
Playground improvements are planned for the following playgrounds:
  1. Terrace
  2. Shannon I & II
  3. Aaronson
  4. Boots Adams
  5. Graham
  6. Henthorne
  7. Skelly
  8. Tracy
  9. Summerglen
  10. Loving
  11. Newblock
  12. Hicks
  13. Hill
  14. Riggs
  15. Dawson
  16. Turner
  17. Lantz
  18. Norberg
  19. Terwilliger
  20. Benton
  21. Boeing
  22. Challenger 7
  23. Manion
  24. Rose Dew
  25. Fred Johnson
  26. Zeigler
  27. Berry
  28. Dream Keepers
  29. Chamberlain
  30. Bales
  31. Lakeview
  32. Admiral
  33. Braden
  34. Clark
  35. Cowan
  36. Crutchfield
  37. East Park Track
  38. HB Johnson
  39. Heller
  40. Highland
  41. Howard
  42. Kendall Whittier
  43. Leake
  44. Lloyd
  45. Norvell
  46. Pielsticker
  47. Pratt
  48. Starks-Cheyenne
  49. Swan lake
  50. Williams
  51. Woodward
Sports courts improvements are scheduled for the following sports courts:
  1. Carbondale
  2. Cowan
  3. Explorer
  4. Hicks - UNDERWAY
  5. Langenheim
  6. McClure - UNDERWAY
  7. Norberg
  8. Ute
  9. Lacy
  10. Lakeview
  11. Manion
  12. Whiteside
  13. Heller
  14. Tracy
  15. Berry
  16. Chamberlain
  17. Starks Cheyenne
  18. Terwilliger
  19. Rose Dew
  20. Skelly
  21. Challenger 7
  22. West Highlands
  23. Penney
  24. HB Johnson
  25. Lloyd
  26. Highland
  27. Crutchfield
  28. Norvell
  29. Braden
  30. Aaronson
  31. Loving
  32. Henthorne
  33. Zeigler
  34. BC Franklin
  35. Admiral
  36. Chittom Clinton
  37. Darlington
  38. Florence
  39. Graham
  40. Holiday Hills
  41. Maxwell
  42. Reed
  43. Kendall-Whittier
  44. Schlegel
  45. Archer
  46. Boeing
  47. Bullette
  48. Philpott
  49. Vining
  50. Hunter
  51. Boots Adams
  52. Leake
  53. Clark
More information on playgrounds and sports courts renovation projects can be found online.
 
Follow Tulsa Parks on social media, @TulsaParks, to stay updated on the progress of renovations.
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