Sooner Park shelter, Civitan shade structure cover planned
Nearly $800,000 in funding has been allocated for improvements to Pathfinder Parkway, an asphalt trail system that will eventually extend through every Bartlesville neighborhood, Community Development Director Lisa Beeman said.
“Utilizing various methods of voter-approved funding — including the 2018 General Obligation Bond Issue and the half-cent Capital Improvements Projects sales tax — nearly $800,000 is currently allocated for Pathfinder improvements,” Beeman said. “This is in addition to several other park projects that are in various stages of completion.”
Pathfinder improvements projects set for funding include:
- Eastland connection — The existing connection and path located directly west of Eastland Shopping Center will be re-aligned to run south of Turkey Creek rather than through the Eastland parking lot. The plan also includes relocating the existing trailhead at the shopping center near Chick-Fil-A to the west side of U.S.Highway 75 on property owned by the City, located north of Senor Salsa. This project also utilizes grant funding from the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department.
- River bank stabilization at Tuxedo Bridge — River bank stabilization is under review for the area near the trail north of Tuxedo Bridge. Erosion in the area, as well as other areas adjacent to the trail, has resulted in parts of the trail breaking away and potentially compromising safety. A temporary path to the west of the existing path has been installed to allow path users through passage until the project is complete. Engineers are reviewing options that will ensure safety and longterm usability for the path in this area.
- Path reconstruction from Frank Phillips Boulevard and Comanche to Silver Lake Road — This project consists of reconstructing the trail along the north side of Frank Phillips from Comanche to just west of Silver Lake Road. The majority of this trail will be completely replaced due to the poor condition of the existing trail. Another portion of the trail is in good condition but is only four feet wide. Part of the design will take into consideration whether to completely rebuild that section of trail or if the existing trail could be used an additional four feet of trail adjacent to it. The project will begin at Comanche and will connect to work done previously as part of the Silver Lake Road extension project, which was completed a few years ago.
- Repaving, general — $300,000 is available through the 2018 G.O. Bond Issue for repaving Pathfinder trails on an as needed basis and/or preventative maintenance.
Civitan Park
Other park projects in the planning stages include the replacement of the shade structure cover at Bartlesville Civitan Club Park, located on Silver Lake Road just north of Nowata Road. The cover was damaged beyond repair in storms that occurred earlier this year. Beeman said the cover, which will cost $13,500 to replace, is under fabrication and is scheduled for installation in the spring of 2020.
Sooner Park
A new shelter at Sooner Park is set to be installed in spring of 2020 as well, Beeman said.
“We had planned to install this shelter by the end of this calendar year; however, there was a manufacturing delay so that has held the project up until spring of 2020,” she said.
The shelter is a 40-foot, hexagon shaped structure that will be installed where older playground equipment was removed after new equipment was installed to the east. (Beeman said any individual interested in removing the pea gravel in the area may contact the public works department at 918.338.4131.)
Veterans Park
Veterans Park is also on-line for completion in 2020. This park, which will include a playground and veteran’s memorial, will be located at Frank Phillips Boulevard and Virginia Avenue. The park, which will have a veteran’s theme, is funded through the 2018 G.O. Bond Issue and funds provided by the Community Development Block Grant Small Cities Set-Aside program.
“Most of these projects will be well underway after the first of the year,” Beeman said.