OKLAHOMA CITY PARKS MASTER PLAN 2020 UPDATE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 2020 UPDATE REVISION COMMITTEE STAKEHOLDERS Oklahoma City Community Foundation Oklahoma City Community Foundation Brian Dougherty, Program Manager, Margaret Annis Boys Nancy Anthony, President Trust / Parks and Public Spaces Initiative Leslie Hudson, Former Trustee (OCCF), Chairperson, Greater Oklahoma City Parks and Trails Foundation Greater Oklahoma City Parks and Trails Foundation Marsha Funk, Executive Director Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department City of Oklahoma City Doug Kupper, Director Aubrey McDermid, Assistant City Manager Melinda McMillan-Miller, Assistant Director Brandon Boydstun, Landscape Architect / Park Planner Oklahoma City Planning Department Rachel Ware, Park Planner Kelly Driscoll, Program Planning, Planning Department Subhashini Gamagedara, Park Planner Phillip Walters, Associate Planner, Planning Department Jeffrey Obert, GIS Technician Michael Smith, Business Manager Park Commissioners Joe Mallonee, Ward 1, Vice Chair CONSULTANTS Carol Sullivan, Ward 2 Jeff Olbert, Ward 3 Wallace, Roberts, & Todd, LLC (WRT) Louise Elkins-Alexander, Ward 4 Nancy O’Neill, Project Manager Mike Adams, Ward 5 Beth Houser, GIS Specialist Janet Seefeldt, Ward 6 Gary R. Woods, Ward 7 Allen Paine, Ward 8, Chair Estela Hernandez, At-Large NOTE: Updates to the 2013 Parks Master Plan are found in green text throughout the document. OKLAHOMA CITY PARKS MASTER PLAN 2020 UPDATE The Oklahoma City Parks Master Plan 2020 Update was developed and funded by the Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department (OKC Parks) and the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, in partnership with Wallace, Roberts & Todd, LLC (WRT). The 2020 Update builds on the 2013 Parks Master Plan, providing anticipated updates on the progress OKC Parks has made in recent years. TABLE OF CONTENTS CH. 1 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CH. 2 | INTRODUCTION 7 ABOUT THIS PLAN 7 What is a Parks Master Plan? 7 Why Update? 9 WHY PLAN? 9 Issues Facing Our Community 10 Parks Are Important 11 ABOUT OKC PARKS 13 OKC Parks History 15 ONGOING EFFORTS 15 City-Wide Efforts 16 Parks-Wide Efforts 17 VOTER-APPROVED FUNDING 17 General Obligation Bond 2007 17 MAPS 3 (2010) 17 General Obligation Bond 2017 18 Better Streets, Safer Cities (2017) 18 MAPS 4 (2019) CH. 3 | THE PLANNING PROCESS 21 HOW WE DEVELOPED THE PLAN 21 Project Phases 22 Mission For The Plan 22 Goals For The Plan 23 KEY FINDINGS FROM PREVIOUS EFFORTS 24 RELATION TO CITY-WIDE PLANS 25 HOW DO WE COMPARE? 25 Benchmarking 27 THE COMMUNITY’S VISION 27 Work Session (2012) Source: OKC Parks ABOVE: Myriad Botanical Gardens 1 Oklahoma City Parks Master Plan | DRAFT 28 Community Survey (2013) 95 MAINTENANCE GUIDELINES 29 Ongoing Feedback Loops 96 PARTNERSHIPS 30 SETTING STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS 96 Overview of Potential Partner Organizations CH. 4 | ABOUT OUR PARK SYSTEM 98 Partnership Recommendations for OKC Parks 101 Partnership Agreements 34 EXISTING PARK SYSTEM CH. 8 | APPENDICES 35 Park Typologies 39 Summary of Amenities 105 Appendix A: playokc policies (adopted 2015) 107 Appendix B: 2013 Community Survey Summary 40 DESIGNING SAFE PARKS 109 Appendix C: Park Classifications (2020) 40 Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design 113 Appendix D: Land Use Typology Areas Descriptions (planokc) 41 EVALUATING OUR PARKS 115 Appendix E: Action Tables (2020 Update) 41 Considerations For Evaluating If a Park Meets Community Needs 123 Appendix F: Financial Overview CH. 5 | EVALUATING OUR PARK SYSTEM 125 Appendix G: Funding Scenario C (example) 127 Appendix H: NRPA Maintenance Standards 45 TRENDS AND STANDARDS 45 Development Trends 47 Levels of Service Standards 48 Meeting The Levels of Service Standards 52 ANALYSIS 52 Applying Level of Service Standards 53 Local Park Access 55 Potential Local Park Access: School Partnerships 57 Regional Park Access 61 Access to Parks: Transit 63 Access To Trails 65 Demographics CH. 6 | ACTION PLAN 69 ACTION PLAN CH. 7 | ACHIEVING THE COMMUNITY’S VISION 81 FUNDING OPTIONS AND STRATEGIES 81 Oklahoma City by the Numbers 82 Funding Sources 91 Financial Sustainability Source: OKC Parks ABOVE: Myriad Botanical Gardens Oklahoma City Parks Master Plan | DRAFT 2 “Children of the Pathways Preschool celebrated May in particular and spring in general this morning with a party at McKinley Park in northwest Oklahoma City.” Source: Oklahoma Times, May 3, 1977 CH. 1 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Oklahoma City is on an impressive track towards national urban prominence with a vibrant economy, an admired massive infrastructure program, a growing presence in the world of professional sports and Olympic and amateur rowing, and an increasing arts and cultural scene. The city’s success has attracted growth downtown and at the fringes. The City of Oklahoma City is looking for ways to continue providing parks and recreation services and facilities in established neighborhoods as well as brand new neighborhoods. The 2013 Parks Master Plan provided a compelling vision for our park system. The Parks Master Plan 2020 Update brings this vision in sync with new city-wide plans and incorporates the changes our city and park system have experienced in recent years. The Parks Master Plan 2020 Update is the guiding document for park system planning in Oklahoma City. • Chapter 2 explains the history and role of the Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department, the importance of planning for our park system, ongoing city-wide and parks-wide efforts, and voter-approved funding. • Chapter 3 covers how the 2020 Parks Master Plan was developed, key findings from previous efforts, how city-wide plans affect park planning, and how we compare to peer cities. The chapter explains community engagement efforts, the community’s vision, and the strategic directions that came from those efforts. • Chapter 4 provides an overview of our park system. This includes descriptions of each park type, guidelines for designing safe parks, and considerations for evaluating if a park meets community needs. • Chapter 5 takes a deeper look at how our park system is serving the community. The chapter outlines level of service standards for different park types and how the city is or isn’t meeting those standards. It applies these standards to our existing park system and identifies gaps in service for local and regional parks and trails. These analyses are accompanied by strategies to fill service gaps. • Chapter 6 is the Action Plan. It contains individual tasks that support each Action Step and strategic direction (identified in Chapter 3). The Action Plan is a working tool to carry out the vision, mission, and strategic directions. • Chapter 7 is about specific strategies to achieve the community’s vision for our park system. The chapter covers funding, maintenance and partnership suggestions and strategies for achieving the action steps in chapter 6. Oklahoma City Parks Master Plan | DRAFT 4 “Phon Nguyen, 17, grabs the lead in the wheelchair race of Oklahoma City’s handicapped youth track and field meet Saturday at Dolese Youth Park, NW 50 and Meridian.” Source: Daily Oklahoman, July 3, 1988 CH. 2 | INTRODUCTION This chapter introduces the Parks Master Plan 2020 Update (2020 Update) and provides context for why the update occurred. Chapter 2 provides an understanding of why planning for the Oklahoma City park system (park system) is important to current and future generations. The chapter introduces the Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department (OKC Parks), including its history and role. Lastly, the chapter covers the agency’s ongoing efforts and the role of voter-approved funding in the development of our parks. Oklahoma City Parks Master Plan | DRAFT 6 ABOUT THIS PLAN This Parks Master Plan 2020 Update—funded WHAT IS A PARKS WHY UPDATE? and developed by OKC Parks and the Oklahoma City Community Foundation—is an update to the MASTER PLAN? Planning is an ongoing process. Since the 2013 Parks 2013 Parks Master Plan (2013 Plan). The 2013 Master Plan, several accomplishments have been A parks master plan provides a framework for Plan provided direction for the stewardship and made in Oklahoma City. New trails and parks have the planning, land acquisition, development, and enhancement of Oklahoma City’s park system. been added to the park system, and several reports administration of parks and recreation programs and However, since completion of the 2013 Plan, the and studies relevant to our park system have been facilities. It relies on community and stakeholder City Council has adopted multiple city-wide plans. completed. The 2020 Update provides updated data input to identify needs and create a cohesive vision Identifying the need to incorporate these plans into and incorporates policies and plans that have been for the parks and recreation system. Using this the parks master plan and to update parks data, the completed since the 2013 Plan. Two of these plans vision, consultants and stakeholders work together to City, along with consultant Wallace Roberts & Todd are Oklahoma City’s comprehensive plan, planokc develop a strategic plan. With a framework in place, (WRT), developed this 2020 Update. (adopted in 2015), and Oklahoma City’s bicycle and a parks master plan guides decision makers and pedestrian master plan, bikewalkokc (adopted in The 2020 Update is a collection of information partners towards improving their park system. 2018). supporting the development of our park system. It includes the community’s vision; an overview of our park system; an analysis of how well the park system serves the community; an Action Plan to meet our goals; and strategies for funding, maintenance, and partnerships to achieve the community’s vision. The 2020 Update will guide OKC Parks, City Council, the Park Commission, and other stakeholders in achieving the vision for our park system. Source: OKC Parks ABOVE: Children’s Soccer League 7 Oklahoma City Parks Master Plan | DRAFT Source: OKC Parks ABOVE: Will Rogers Gardens Oklahoma City Parks Master Plan | DRAFT 8 WHY PLAN? Great parks build strong communities. Planning our ISSUES FACING OUR COMMUNITY park system to address the needs and challenges of our community will lead to great parks for Oklahoma City.