Scissortail Park

[Plutonic Panda]

Here’s a link to vote on architecturally pleasing projects for Oklahoma. Scissortail Cafe is in there.

https://docs.google.com/forms/u/0/d/...Q/formResponse

[Pete]

Press release:

***********

Oklahoma City leaders break ground on Scissortail Park’s Lower Park
11/06/2020

Construction is under way on Scissortail Park’s 30-acre Lower Park in the heart of Oklahoma City, as civic leaders broke ground on the project Friday.

“Scissortail Park attracts thousands of residents and visitors alike to enjoy concerts, festivals, farmer’s markets and even roller skating. It’s been an outdoor oasis during a challenging year,” said Mayor David Holt. “And now we get to break ground on phase two, which will serve as an ideal companion to our bustling Upper Park with athletic fields and courts, an extension of the promenade and nature play elements.”

The Upper Park opened in 2019. Construction is scheduled to finish on the Lower Park in 2022. The total project budget for Scissortail Park is $132 million, funded debt-free by MAPS 3.

About the Lower Park
The Lower Park is intended to have more open and natural spaces than the Upper Park. There will be a focus on space for athletic events and pickup sports, with a soccer field, sports pavilion, pickleball courts, futsal court and two basketball courts.

Paths with pavers and furniture will be consistent with the Upper Park, dotting the promenade alongside whispering pines, native gardens, a hollow, an overlook hill and a plaza. There will also be a play area for children.

The 40-acre Upper Park extends south from Oklahoma City Boulevard to Interstate 40. The Skydance Bridge connects it to the 30-acre Lower Park, which extends to SW 15th Street on the north shore of an original MAPS project, the Oklahoma River.

The Upper Park is served by MAPS 3’s OKC Streetcar and is across the street from MAPS 3’s Oklahoma City Convention Center. It’s also near the new protected bike lanes on S Walker Avenue and other bike, pedestrian and street improvement projects funded by the Better Streets, Safer City program.

HargreavesJones is the park architect, and Wynn Construction is the general contractor for Lower Park construction.


The nonprofit Scissortail Park Foundation operates the park on behalf of the City of Oklahoma City.

[Canoe]

This is most welcome news. I am looking forward to exploring the lower park

[mugofbeer]

I hope they are willing to leave any mature trees that may be there.

[Bellaboo]

I hope they are willing to leave any mature trees that may be there.

They did leave 4 mature trees in front of the old Union train station.

[mugofbeer]

This thread is about the lower park.

[Bellaboo]

This thread is about the south park.

Well maybe the example of keeping trees in the upper park will be considered in the lower.

[Laramie]

Scissortail Park encompasses both the upper & lower park. Hope the park will link both sections divided by the I-40 Skydance Pedestrian Bridge to unite the upper & lower sections that promote the character of our city.

Old historic Union Station renovation--let's see how this turns out.

[mugofbeer]

Well maybe the example of keeping trees in the upper park will be considered in the lower.

I'm sorry. I was unnecessarily terse.

[shawnw]

I must admit I thought they were being too ambitious with the December date for Robinson being done, but they're making great strides. Barring weather they might actually make it.



Slightly annoyed they had to cut a huge section out of recently completed construction, though. Seems like this could have been coordinated better.

[shawnw]

FYI the south end of skydance bridge is closed off with a fence again as lower park construction has started, they have a fence up around the lower park and it extends up to the bridge. tried to ride down to the river that route to check on construction progress and couldn't get through. (technically there was a gap in the fence but could see where there would be an opening to get through to the river so just used Walker instead)

[Pete]

[Pete]

There is now a construction trailer on site (lower right of first photo) and groundwork has started.

[shawnw]

I kind of wish they had waited to close the streets until after Robinson was open again, but oh well.

[Canoe]

That huge chunk of land missing out of the middle of the lower park is annoying me.

[Pete]

^

It's going to look increasingly weird as that area starts to come together.

[shawnw]

Just don't want to end up with a funky Bricktown U-Haul type situation.

[Canoe]

^

It's going to look increasingly weird as that area starts to come together.

Pete, do you know what the zoning is for that cut out? Is it industrial?

[Pete]

Pete, do you know what the zoning is for that cut out? Is it industrial?

It's DTD-2, which is the governing overlay for anything in the downtown district.

They can't put up a fencepost without prior approval from the Downtown Design Review Committee.

[Lazio85]

I believe the Cusack property is up for sale, and on the county's website says that it is an Industrial account.

[Pete]

[shawnw]

I didn't realize the concrete on the south side of skydance was getting ripped up. I thought it was already configured to integrate with the promenade but it seems that wasn't the case and now fully explains why the gate is up on the south side of the bridge.

[Southsider2]

Surely there's going to be some sort of backstop net between the soccer field and I-40 right?

[ourulz2000]

Surely there's going to be some sort of backstop net between the soccer field and I-40 right?

I had not thought of that. What's to stop a kid from accidentally kicking a moonshot over the goal and onto I-40?

[snark0leptic]

Capping I-40 there, it's been the secret plan all along. The Innovation District cap was all a clever ruse.