After getting some inside info, today I rode my bike from Mesta Park where I live to downtown and the Oklahoma River. Past the boathouse at the end of the trail was a sign announcing something new. I snapped some shots and threw a page together.

Check it out...

http://geocities.com/swooshou/belltower.html

Wonder what it'll look like?

:)
Luke

Edited to add: This article has one blurb about it being 50 foot tall clocktower. http://www.okcbusiness.com/news/news_view.asp?newsid=4197

This is good news. I'm guessing this is the landmark that downtownguy was referring to. It's not really a 600 foot tower like we had hoped for, but at least it will add something nice on the river.

Thanks Luke for getting the inside info.

Oh, by the way, the pics aren't showing up on your site. Have any ideas??

OK, I think I fixed it. Let me know.

Thanks Luke, the link is working now. That gives me a little more perspective of where this is going to be.....across from the Native American Cultural Center I guess. Anyways, I'm guessing it's going to be both a bell and clock tower?? Kind of similar to Old North on the UCO campus??? That's kind of what I was thinking.

Anyways, right off I-35 on the river will be a perfect location. I still wish it would be a little taller. Oh well! It will fit in with the Centennial "clock" theme well. It seems like a lot of companies are adding clocks for the Centennial. Nichols Hills just added one, as did Integris Baptist Medical Center.

I read something about OKC getting a clocktower on the Centennial webiste...so I'm sure thats what it is.

Luke, I didn't realize the project was referred to at OKC Business... sorry about that. The project is a bit different than what the story describes. It will be tall enough to be seen from I-35, and will be lit up at night. It will be very different from what we've seen to date.
- The Downtown Guy
www.downtownguy.blogspot.com

No problem, Downtownguy. After I got back from the bike ride, I tried to find this somewhere on the web and the OKCBusiness.com site was the only hit I got.

If that site is accurate, 50 feet will be plenty tall enough to be seen from I-35. Heck, you can see cars passing by on I-35 in the picture. I could be seen from the interstate and i'm not even 6 feet tall. I would think something more substantial would be better. But, hey, I am pumped that this is being built!

:)
Luke

There are some other pretty big projects being dreamed up by the Centennial Commission for the river - it's a favorite for them because they have close ties to Ray Ackerman. For those of you who don't know Ray, he played an important role in MAPS and the river's development. A book was written last year about him - "Old Man River."

He was the visionary for the "String of Pearls" effort for the North Canadian, was he not?

In any case, it's great news. We need more visual references on the highway and it will be an icon for the river...I wonder, what development, if any at all, will surround it? Will it be the focal point for a commercial development, a standalone attraction, or a stop in the trail/park system?