Local

Riverside Drive, Gathering Place to open in 2018

Tulsa, Okla. — A Gathering Place for Tulsa (TGP) and the City of Tulsa announced the coordinated opening of Riverside Drive and the park in late spring/summer 2018. In the meantime, the Chapman Foundations Adventure Playground will open in January 2018 with scheduled visits from Tulsa area elementary school children.

“The simple fact of the matter is our schedule is dependent on Mother Nature,” said Jeff Stava, executive director and trustee of Tulsa’s Gathering Place, LLC. “The record rains in 2016 and this year have negatively impacted both the park and city’s construction schedule. Plus, you add in the unseasonably warm winters, which have impacted the planting of the park’s almost 6,000 trees, and the result is a new opening timeline.”

With close coordination from day one, City officials are pleased with progress and have confirmed plans to open Riverside Drive in coordination with the park.

“We have been working hand-in-hand with the Gathering Place team and are pleased with the progress of the road and the park,” said Paul Zachary, City of Tulsa Director of Engineering Services. “But public safety, efficiency and quality are our top priorities. So, leaving Riverside Drive fully closed protects the public from large construction equipment, eliminates the inconvenience of temporary lane closures and ensures our contractors can maintain their quality of work. This park is a tremendous gift to the city, and we know the public’s expectations will be surpassed when it comes to both access and in-park experiences.”

The Chapman Foundations Adventure Playground will open in January 2018 for scheduled visits by Tulsa area elementary school children. With five-acres of handcrafted, one-of-a-kind equipment never before seen in the U.S., Tulsa’s children will get a first look at the highly-anticipated park.

“Since the park’s inception, our mission has been to build a world-class park for all Tulsans to enjoy,” said Stava. “However, children have always been at the forefront of why we are building this park, and we can’t think of anything more fitting than giving them first access to the park. Adventure Playground is the heart of this park, and we can’t wait to see it come alive next winter and spring as students from across the metro come to play.”

To make this opportunity a reality for Tulsa area students, TGP programming staff will help coordinate field trips to the park with interested Tulsa area school districts.

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