Gathering Place (Tulsa park) facts for kids
| Location | Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°07′27″N 95°59′05″W / 36.12417°N 95.98472°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | September 8, 2018 |
| Owner | Tulsa River Parks Authority |
| Operating season | Year round |
| Area | 66.5 acres (26.9 ha) |
Gathering Place is a super cool park in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that opened on September 8, 2018. It was first planned in 2014 and used to be called "The Gathering Place" or "A Gathering Place for Tulsa." You can find it right by the Arkansas River, just south of downtown Tulsa.
A kind person named George Kaiser helped make this park happen, and Michael Van Valkenburgh designed it. This huge park covers about 100 acres and cost around $465 million to build. It's a team effort between private groups and the city!
The park has many awesome spots like the Chapman Adventure Playground, the Williams Lodge, a boathouse, and a splash playground. There's also a big lawn, outdoor sports courts, a skate park, and a peaceful wetland pond. Plus, you'll find lots of trails to explore. There are tons of activities for everyone, kids and adults alike!
Gathering Place has won some amazing awards. In 2018, it was named the Best New Attraction in the whole country by USA Today. The next year, it made Time Magazine's list of The World's 100 Greatest Places. It was also on National Geographic's list of 12 Mind-Bending Playgrounds Around the World.
Park officials hoped to welcome a million visitors each year. In its first ten days, about 155,000 people visited. The grand opening weekend alone brought in about 55,000 visitors!
Contents
How the Park Was Funded
The George F. Kaiser Family Foundation, along with other companies and local charities, paid for the park's construction. After building it, they gave the park to the River Parks Authority. This group helps manage the park for the public. The Kaiser Family Foundation also set up a special fund of $100 million. This money will help take care of the park for the next 99 years!
Fun Attractions and Activities
Gathering Place has many different sports courts for you to enjoy. You can play basketball, volleyball, street soccer, or street hockey here. There's easy parking right by the courts for players and fans. The sports courts even have lights, so you can keep playing after it gets dark!
Future Plans for the Park
Discovery Lab Museum
Work started in February 2020 on a new building called Discovery Lab. This will be a $47 million, 50,000-square-foot museum. It will have hands-on exhibits, classrooms, a cafe, and a large outdoor area. There will also be a 300-seat outdoor theater. It was expected to be finished by late summer of 2021.
The Gateway Pedestrian Bridge
City leaders have announced plans to build a new walking bridge across the Arkansas River. This project will be called "The Gateway." Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates won a contest to design this bridge. The Tulsa River Parks Authority said the project might take three years to finish and cost about $24.4 million.
This new bridge will replace an older walking bridge that needs to be taken down. The city planned to remove the old bridge in late 2020 or early 2021.
When the River Flooded in 2019
In 2019, very heavy rains caused the Arkansas River to flood. Water levels rose, and the new Gathering Place had to close for a week. Park officials then checked for damage and planned repairs.
The side of the river where the park is located had only minor damage. Water covered two of the five sports courts, but after cleaning off mud, the courts were fine. However, some parts of the East Bank Trail were washed away. At one spot, a light pole was knocked down. Park officials said this showed they needed to make the riverbank stronger in some areas.
