Gathering Place for Tulsa
Gathering Place is situated along the Arkansas River, just two miles from downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma. Funded by the George Kaiser Family Foundation and developed in close collaboration with city officials and the local community, the new park transforms a windblown, sunbaked site into an inclusive 66-acre space that brings the people of Tulsa together. Hot summer weather and the site’s riverfront location inspired the idea that water should be a defining element of the park.
Topography subdivides the site into separate zones, each supporting a unique set of activities, with the goal that every visit is an opportunity to enjoy something different.
Local stone, used generously throughout the park, helps connect Gathering Place to the region's natural geology.
Access from Tulsa and the surrounding area is facilitated through strategic vehicular entry points and parking lots, bike trails that thread through the park, and new pedestrian land bridges that unify the sprawling site.
Play spaces within the park are bold and richly programmed, focusing on imaginative and tactile play and providing a robust array of physical challenges for every age group.
Dramatic lighting welcomes visitors to the park at night for formal or informal dining, and for movies, concerts, and other outdoor events.
The skatepark and basketball courts give teenagers and young adults opportunities to enjoy the riverfront and their favorite pastimes in a welcoming public space.
