I was wondering when the next wave of projects would occur on the Oklahoma River. I'm still waiting for boat docks, fishing piers, more boat ramps, etc.

And that extension of the south Bricktown canal to reach close to Zone G, for easier loading and unloading of taxis on both sides. This would also put the current rail road tracks on a trestle, allowing Bricktown water taxis to flow closer to zone G.


-----------------
"Revival ahead for metro stockyards?


By Scott Coppenbarger
NEWS 9

The following is a script from a NEWS 9 broadcast

Dreamers are looking across the Oklahoma River.

NEWS 9 report

Today, a city committee approved $54 million worth of projects along the riverfront.

Here's what you could see in the five year plan:


A $9 million dollar water taxi system.

A $6.5 million extension of the Bricktown Canal.

Links to Fair Park and the Riverside neighborhood, plus public boating and fishing facilities.
Scott Coppenbarger tells us the stockyards are planning a revival for the first time in about 100 years.

Gone are the glory days of the Oklahoma City Stockyards, a bustling business community that built a city in its own right.

Today, in a quiet meeting of the Riverfront Redevelopment Authority, members adopted a $54 million wish list of river projects that could make stockyard dreams come true.

A boat dock would bring in tourists from water taxis who would walk the streets and spend money in a $3 million retail project built by the Oklahoma National Stockyards Company.

The city manager says projects like the boat dock aren't guaranteed.

Even so, the uncertainty is met with progress."

I thought the big boats running between bricktown and meridian were supposed to start this spring. Obviously, that didn't happen. Does anyone know when that is going to start? There is a boat dock at Regatta Park (that's zone G, right?). Is there a dock at Meridian yet? According to that article, the other built aren't built yet.

And where's this canal extension going to go?

Am I the only one who finds the renaming of the Canadian to the "Oklahoma River" for a few miles one of the dumbest PR stunts and a huge waste of time? Its like renaming part of the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of Texas because it borders Texas.

Absolutely

Luke, I don't think they are planning to run the river shuttle service until they connect the river to the Bricktown canal, which hasn't even started yet.

Am I the only one who finds the renaming of the Canadian to the "Oklahoma River" for a few miles one of the dumbest PR stunts and a huge waste of time?

No. I believe this is the work of a few individuals with a bizarre insecurity complex. It is also a bad PR move, if that was its intent. I remember being assured by a state representative when it was first proposed that it would not happen. A year later, it had happened.

BTW, none of the Stockyards improvements are funded at this time.

"I remember being assured by a state representative when it was first proposed that it would not happen. A year later, it had happened."

A perfect example of why not to say never. Personally, I like the name. I just wish the entire river was the Oklahoma river. Not just seven miles.

I just wish the entire river was the Oklahoma river.

Really? I just think it's so weird and kind of embarrassing that we felt the need to do it. If it was originally named that, iI probabaly wouldn't even think about it. I just wonder if people in New Orleans try and change the name of the Mississippi River. Or if people in California feel the need to change the name for the Colorado River. For some reason someone figured that the portion of river in Oklahoma City in Oklahoma Country in the state of Oklahoma should be called the Oklahoma River, just to be sure no one gets confused about where they are.

sort of funny :)

I hope that a system to clean the debris out of the river is in place before they start the river boats. I stopped yesterday at a new parking area on the river just east of Meridian and the debris in the water on the north bank in that area was terrible. The area at the waterfalls in the boat house park that was built on Byers was even worse. It seems this trash must come from the tributaries along the river as Lake Overholser should keep it from floating down from any further up stream. I wonder if the River Development Authority has made any plans for this or even thought of it. It would be extremely embarrassing for any tourist to see this area as it is now.

Its hard to judge based on yesterday only Poppy. You have to take into consideration we have had two major storms in the last few days with winds between 50-110 mph. This force of wind could of easily blown debris into the river as well as debris from the Dell construction site. Despite even if this may be true, Oklahoma does have a major litter problem that needs to be reversed.

I've been to Regatta Park at least once every few weeks for the past several months and I've only seen litter in it twice. Nevertheless, perhaps a daily morning sweep of the most visible areas of the river is in order.

My girlfriend and I were talking about how dumb renaming the river was today, actually. Ray Ackerman, God Bless him, was obsessed with renaming the river, for what reason I don't know. He had enough stroke to get it done, but it is ridiculous, especially considering only the part that flows through OKC. I'm a bit of a historian myself, and find it stupid to mess with the history of the great river with no apparent value trade-off. Whatever.

When this older generation of OKC people finally passes on, we will be able to focus on things that truly matter and make this a great city.

I thought the big boats running between bricktown and meridian were supposed to start this spring. Obviously, that didn't happen. Does anyone know when that is going to start? There is a boat dock at Regatta Park (that's zone G, right?). Is there a dock at Meridian yet? According to that article, the other built aren't built yet.

And where's this canal extension going to go?

Hey Luke.....

Unfortunately, everything has been delayed. The city recently approved water Taxi to run those operations, and operations probably won't start until next year.

Boat docks haven't been built yet, as the complete master plan for the Oklahoma River hasn't been fulfilled. I'm not quite sure where the city is going to get the funds to complete the master plan. But, the Master Plan called for many boat docks, more boat ramps, more picnic areas, more parks, etc.

Zone G is the portion of the canal that comes from Regatta Park at the river, north to the water fall.......its separated from the South Canal by railroad tracks and about 300 feet. The canal extension plans would extend the south canal to almost touch Zone G, although the two won't join due to elevational differences. The railroad tracks will be placed on a trestle over the canal. The two segments will be close enough so you can get off a water taxi, walk over to Zone G, and catch a river taxi.

The city had considered starting rides on the river sooner and simply running trolleys from Zone G to the south canal, and vice versa, but I doubt anyone would go to that mcuh trouble to ride the river boats. Thus, I think they're going to wait until the extension is complete.

Really? I just think it's so weird and kind of embarrassing that we felt the need to do it. If it was originally named that, iI probabaly wouldn't even think about it. I just wonder if people in New Orleans try and change the name of the Mississippi River. Or if people in California feel the need to change the name for the Colorado River. For some reason someone figured that the portion of river in Oklahoma City in Oklahoma Country in the state of Oklahoma should be called the Oklahoma River, just to be sure no one gets confused about where they are.

I don't think it would be so bad if the entire river was renamed the Oklahoma River. I will admit, naming just a portion of it is weird though.

Personally, I see no reason to call the N. Canadian River, Canadian! Heck, Canada is nowhere close to here.

By the way, the river that feeds the Riverwalk is the San Antonio River. Just thought I'd throw that in.

Personally, I see no reason to call the N. Canadian River, Canadian! Heck, Canada is nowhere close to here.

It's about as close as some parts of the Mississippi River are to Mississippi. Same as the Colorado. Australia is pretty darn far from India, but it borders the Indian Ocean. I wonder if those Aussies argue about changing that?


By the way, the river that feeds the Riverwalk is the San Antonio River. Just thought I'd throw that in.

What was it called before?

Keep in mind though, OKC does have a Canadian county!

eh, --

:)

I can understand why someone would passionately support changing it from North Canadian to Oklahoma River. But, I don't understand why someone would be so passionate about NOT changing it. It just seems like one of those not-big-deal kind of things that they changed it.

And anyway, it's not the only name change for the North Canadian; in northwest Oklahoma, it's known as the Beaver River.

I think the main thing with a lot of this is...this is a river, not a highway or bridge. This is something that has had a certain name for a long period of time. It is almost like going and changing the name of Texas County in the panhandle to Sooner County just because some politician feels a certain way about football.

I can understand why someone would passionately support changing it from North Canadian to Oklahoma River. But, I don't understand why someone would be so passionate about NOT changing it. It just seems like one of those not-big-deal kind of things that they changed it.

Because it's retarded. It's is a sign of insecurity. I mean, seriously why would anyone care that it's called the North Canadian? If it really is because Canada is nowhere near us, that is most embarrassing of all. It seems everyone else in the world can deal with things not being named after themselves. What's our problem? The guy who first wanted to change it said it was because the name would confuse people? WHAT!? That is embarrassing, too.

In addition, it is not free. We spent money and time to make this idiotic and meaningless change that actually hurts our image instead of improve on it. We paid so that something could be named the same as EVERYTHING else around it! This on top of all the money we're spending trying to make it an attractive and viable place to go. And we'll never be able to hide that it was an act of total immaturity, because they didn't change the name of the whole thing, just the section closest to the people with the biggest complex.

We live in a state where people thought it was a good idea to put 'Oklahoma is OK' right there on the license plates. PR is certainly not our strength. Many suggest that fact has hurt us over the years. So, I don't see why one would be surprised about people being passionate about avoiding those kinds of mistakes again.

Seriously, try and explain the change to anyone outside of Oklahoma City and look at their faces as you do it.

I think one of the main reasons for changing the name of thatthat portion of the river was similar to the reason why we changed the name of our baseball team. We spent a lot of money on a new ballpark, thus, we thought it was worthy to start with a fresh new name for our baseball team. Same thing with the river. We just spent a lot of money renovating that section of the river so we felt it worthy to start fresh with a new name for that segment of the river, to set it apart from the old dried up N. Candian river. And by the way, the Oklahoma River is quite different from the N. Candian River. The N. Candian still has to be mowed every summer...the Oklahoma River is filled with water.

Initially, I didn't see the value in the name change.


However, now when you say the Oklahoma River, you know it's the 7 mile stretch that runs from Eastern to Portland and has lakes, biking/hiking paths and all types of new development.

It's a quick way to identify that stretch which is completely different than any other part of the 'river'. In retrospect, I think it was a very wise move.

In my opinion, to say that renaming the river is a sign of insecurity is analyzing a bit much.

I think local and state government leaders are simply riding on this whole OKC renaissance thing and someone suggested with the "new" river come a new name to follow all the other new stuff OKC has to offer now.

It's not like we're renaming the state, or the University of Oklahoma's mascot... now THAT would be big.

Again, I just don't see what the big fuss is.

I think local and state government leaders are simply riding on this whole OKC renaissance thing and someone suggested with the "new" river come a new name to follow all the other new stuff OKC has to offer now.

Ok, then they failed. 'Oklahoma' is anything but a new name when it's in Oklahoma City of Oklahoma County in the state of Oklahoma. It was not only unessecary, but unoriginal. i guess i just figure someone should start fussing over these things and then maybe we'll finally stop doing them.

"Oklahoma" is not a new name, but it is a new name for the seven mile stretch of river and I do not think you are going to change it despite all of your fussing. As I see it, the naming of that section of the river is inconsequential. Maybe it would gave been more appropriate to name it the OKC Lock and Dam System. As for the North Canadian River, it was not named appropriately to begin with as it only approaches being a river after a hard and prolonged rain. North Canadian Creek would have been more accurately descriptive. Would renaming a creek been less offensive?
If you are intent on fussing about naming something, would it be too much to ask you to fuss about all of the namings of grade schools for some retiring teacher, principal or superintendent. How about stretches of highway or bridges that are named after hack politicians. Those are the type of things that I find irritating.

I think renaming that stretch of river was silly and pointless. All it is going to do is confuse tourists and possibly some locals. The North Canadian River (I refuse to call it the Oklahoma River) has had that name for a few hundred years. I believe it was named that by French explorers who thought it would lead in to Canada. And wasn't OKC started where the Santa Fe Railroad crossed the North Fork of the Canadian River? And it does show the city and state as insecure. Why rename just a seven mile stretch unless you are trying to call attention to it. Just improve the river and it will attract people without having to rename it. By the way, Dallas is also getting ready to improve their river at about ten times more elaborate than OKC is, and I have not heard one proposal to rename the Trinity River as the Dallas or Texas river.

WOW! We sure like to over-analyze, moan, and complain about unimportant and inconsequential things like the name of a "river."

Just thought I'd add...the difference in opinion here is awesome. I'm glad to see the well-planned, in depth posts on this issue, both for and against the name change. And our city leaders are reading, even if the decision has already been made.

What gets me is that it's not officially the Oklahoma River, but the Oklahoma! River. As in the musical. I don't think this should really suprise anyone, given our leaders annoying habit of renaming segments of streets downtown for no apparent reason. This is really the same principle, just on a larger scale.

The "Oklahoma!" River? When I posted earlier I didn't even realize this. That is about the dumbest name. I guess they got that from the musical; how original. Please tell me they didn't put it on the signs this way. I have been living in Dallas the last four years and I am getting realy tired of trying to explain why the city and state does what it does. It keeps getting harder to defend my hometown.

If you crossed the state line from Florida to Georgia or the reverse (on I-95 or 75) you will find a sign announcing the Suanee River. On that sign, it has many musical notes, and a note mentioning the "famous song" by Stephen Foster.

So, it is not unusual for states and cities to place signage honoring something like a play or song.

As I see it, the naming of that section of the river is inconsequential

Apparently not, or we would not have spent money and time changing it. And, let's be honest here, all the "fussing" started with the movemnet to change it, did it not? The people who spent over a year changing this thing are the real bitches here. If anything, the resentment stems from the very fact that it was a completely wasteful and ineffective thing to do. It's just exacerbated by the fact that they felt this waste was justfied and their complaints motivated by naming it probabaly the most unoriginal thing conceivable.


Please tell me they didn't put it on the signs this way.

Let's just say that you don't want to see the signs for a variety of reasons.

Great, the last time I drove up I35, I didn't notice them, maybe it was just my mind not letting my eyes see. After these discussions, I will probably notice them and groan everytime I drive up. I just hope no one in my office notices them, I already get teased for being from there. The river itself does look pretty good however.

Travis, the exclamation mark was not put on the highway signs crossing the river. And although the legislative declatory bill renamed the river as the Oklahoma! River, many publications, ads and signage make no reference to the exclamation mark.

I don't think Texans have any room to talk. None. You don't have to explain anything to them about your home city, because most of what they believe is bull****. Everytime I drive through Dallas, I am always amazed at how the city lets scrap-metal junk yards and acres of salvage yards along I-45 south of downtown Dallas.

Why does Dallas allow an office building to sit vacant near I-35 as a complete eyesore. Everytime I drive by the same office building, it collects more graffiti and more broken windows. Texans can make fun of our liquor laws (which have absolutely no religious influence, don't put that past me, I know the liquor lobby), but what state is dumb enough to set up wet/dry counties and wet/dry precincts all over Dallas? Their liquor stores close at 9PM and on Sundays, just like ours. I do like the fact Texas allows the sale of wine in grocery stores, but that doesn't make me want to move there.

Look, I will not argue Texas' economic success and status as a major national economic engine, but Texas has its short-comings as well.

Yes, yes, I admit I am moving to Texas as well this December, to Conroe, but only because of family reasons. Not because I desire 'greener pastures'. People down in Houston can tease me about being from OKC all they want, but I still have plans for OKC. I really don't care what they have to say.

You're right. I just drove by one of the signs and it does not have the exclamation point. That omission doesn't really make them any more attractive, but oh well. Hopefully the signage will be rethought once the river begins to take shape.

As far as Texas goes, I think we look to it too much sometimes as a reference. And I certainly don't want to use Texas's mistakes as an excuse for our own.

I never meant to say that Dallas was a great city, it's not (although it does have a few nice areas). Bad crime, pollution, traffic, schools, and there is not much logic to the street layout. I just have always defended OKC when needed but it's things like this that I have to just accept criticizem on. I never meant to turn this discussion in to a Dallas vs. OKC thing.

I guess it is realy not that big of a deal, after all, getting it changed back would be near impossible anyway. I just don't agree with it, and aparantly I'm not the only one.

There is too much going off topic, however, this is a topic worth discussing. So, I will start another thread about comparing Oklahoma City and Dallas. That way, this one can get back on topic.

I would prefer the whole length of the river in the state be renamed the Oklahoma River, but that is what so many complained about, especially Canadian County officials.

I hope that a system to clean the debris out of the river is in place before they start the river boats. I stopped yesterday at a new parking area on the river just east of Meridian and the debris in the water on the north bank in that area was terrible. The area at the waterfalls in the boat house park that was built on Byers was even worse. It seems this trash must come from the tributaries along the river as Lake Overholser should keep it from floating down from any further up stream. I wonder if the River Development Authority has made any plans for this or even thought of it. It would be extremely embarrassing for any tourist to see this area as it is now.

It is my understanding that the city storm water runoff drains into the river which explains that after a rain, we see more trash in the river. Seems to me, we need to either find a way to sain the trash before it goes into the river and also find some proactive ways to address the city's litter problems.

It is my understanding that the city storm water runoff drains into the river which explains that after a rain, we see more trash in the river. Seems to me, we need to either find a way to sain the trash before it goes into the river and also find some proactive ways to address the city's litter problems.

If we had a real street cleaning system in this city, like other major cities, we wouldn't have this problem. Seeing a street cleaner in OKC is rare. Yes, we have them, but not enough.

...but that is what so many complained about, especially Canadian County officials.

Those jerks. I wish they'd just change the name of their county to Oklahoma County. It's so confusing to drive through Canadian County. I mean, am I in Oklahoma or Canada? I sure hope the national media doesn't pick up on the fact that we have a county named Canadian. That would be embarrassing.

I know what you mean. I drive up I35 about once a month, and everytime I see the Canadian County sign I wonder if I went to far. But just as I am about to turn around, I see the sign for the Oklahoma River (excuse me, I mean the OKLAHOMA! River). Then I know I am in the right spot.

:LolLolLol

Those jerks. I wish they'd just change the name of their county to Oklahoma County. It's so confusing to drive through Canadian County. I mean, am I in Oklahoma or Canada? I sure hope the national media doesn't pick up on the fact that we have a county named Canadian. That would be embarrassing.


its just a name. what do you think just because you might drive through texas county youre in texas? why would it be embarrassing? every state has unusual names for counties. calafornia has a county named shasta. how embarrassing to have the same name as a soda. ohio has one thats named licking county.
watch out when you drive through washington county. are you in washington or oklahoma?
its just a name.

Jeez, guys, it doesn't matter. We're still enjoy the river like never before, right? We're about to put this body of water to use more than many other riverside communities, so let's just enjoy it. It's our urban park.

A couple of random thoughts: with the projects underway, I don't see the need to rush in developing the river. Central Park, the Riverwalk, etc, all took decades to develop into the hives of activity they are. As long long as we have the recreational basics (trails, lighting, bridges, benches/wastebaskets, equipment rentals), I think the river fills its purpose. Let's be careful with what we put on the river, make sure they fit into the plan, are of the best quality and have long-term viability.

Secondly, I REALLY want to have horse stables on the river... :Smiley199

And for the late comers to the forum, here's what I suppose is the master plan for the river. A presentation delivered by Jim Couch last year, on slides 13 - 20:

http://www.okc.gov/planning/roundtable/Couch2_files/frame.htm