Elm Creek, Other Tributary Development

[SXSW]

Just opening up the creek as it flows through Veterans Park to the river would be nice.  Veterans Park is basically just an open field and could use an interesting water feature and landscaping a la Central Park just to the northeast.

[Conan71]

Not to burst everyones bubble, but I dont see how elm creek could be turned into an open water way without significant excavation. It would be extremely expensive and impractical considering that most of it is 60 + feet underground. Also, I dont see how a considerable water level could be maintained in elm creek if it were an open water way due to the elevation change from central park to the river. Central park is a basin that over flows into elm creek, and elm creek only has a large amount of water in it when it is raining or has just rained. At any given time, there is only about a foot of water in elm creek. It is a good idea none the less. At the exit point at the river it is about 16' in diameter and continues that size for about a mile. It also has a large 30 inch forced main sewer line running down through it, which would also pose a problem for maintanence issues, if opening it up as a water way. Having said that, a small portion of it (around highway 75) that is not quite as deep would be able to be opened up. I have been down it many times and made a map that is fairly accurate. Anyways, thats my two cents...

Nice map, thanks for sharing.  I don't think maintaining levels would be that big a deal if you use a series of gates.  Not much different than the Oklahoma River just south of Bricktown.

[waterboy]

Did anything ever become of this thread? I read back through it and kind of enjoyed its progress. Is any of it reflected in downtown plans?

[SXSW]

I was in Veterans Park yesterday and remembered this thread.  While opening up Elm Creek along its entire length would be extremely difficult and expensive it would be really cool to see opened up through Veterans Park as it flows into the river.  You could still preserve a good chunk of the park for open space good for sports and events but have the landscaped Elm Creek channel create a nice feature similar to what has been done at Central Park.  I could see Veterans Park lined with townhomes someday along 21st, 18th, and Boston and some park improvements would go a long way to making the area more desirable.  It already benefits from being next to the river and adjacent to Maple Ridge, and the view of downtown is great.

[SXSW]

If you have the Mid-Continent property on the west bank as one big riverfront park with big open spaces you could convert Veterans into more of a natural space while opening up Elm Creek either as a landscaped creek or a small lake.  Something like that could really be a catalyst for growth in that area around the park.  

Quick MS Paint showing Elm Creek (buried underground in light blue) with the small lake similar to what was done on the upper reach of the creek at Centennial Park.  Main would dead end at 18th.

[SXSW]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> MB, how was Neas's plan received in 1991 and why was it not acted on? Was it part of a funded study? <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

The Neas plan (Neas was not involved when the plan was conceived) was an exercise by several people with talent during a slow time in Tulsa.  I have been told that the key person is now a professor or dean at a university in Georgia.

It was not a funded study.  As far as I know, the only presentation has been at Spirit Bank to presidents of the homeowner groups, Riverview Addition and Maple Ridge, and property owners.  I believe Lucky Lamons has sat in on one of the meetings.

The response has been very favorable.  I believe that NIMBY would be minimal for a well planned development.  The Urban Design Group at OU has selected it as a possible project but I do not believe a masters student has taken it for this fall.

Anyone have contacts in the OU-Tulsa urban design program?  This would be a great project for a master's student to tackle.  Even if it was just opened up in Veterans Park that would be a nice improvement for that area.

[SXSW]

Website I found with pictures of the Elm Creek Tunnel under Veterans Park
http://www.uer.ca/locations/show.asp?locid=29140

It would be really cool to see this uncovered, even just a small part of it.  It certainly would make a good Urban Tulsa or This Land story.