Sand Springs to Host Exciting Array of Community Events June 9-10
/Car shows, professional wrestling, cornhole tournaments, fishing derbies, live music and more awaits visits to Sand Springs on the weekend of June 9-11.
Read MoreCar shows, professional wrestling, cornhole tournaments, fishing derbies, live music and more awaits visits to Sand Springs on the weekend of June 9-11.
Read MoreSand Springs, OK - The City of Sand Springs Parks staff received two statewide honors during the Oklahoma Recreation and Parks Society (ORPS) annual conference held in Norman, OK. Sand Springs Riverfest was cited an Award of Excellence by parks professionals in the state, one of only three such awards given out annually at the parks conference. Riverfest also earned an Award of Excellence for marketing from ORPS.
“We’re honored to represent the citizens of Sand Springs, not only in our traditional park work throughout the year, but also with the special events we create,” stated Jeff Edwards, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City. “We have a great staff who reach beyond their daily tasks to offer quality parks and recreation services in Northeast Oklahoma, and we’re very pleased to receive this honor.”
Riverfest was created by parks staff to celebrate the completion and dedication of the former River City Park into the new $6.2 million project known currently as Case Community Park. The park name change recognized Mike and Pat Case for their $2 million contribution toward Sand Springs’ largest Vision 2025 park project.
Sand Springs Riverfest took nearly a year of planning thanks to a large committee that included local businesses, school and city officials, church members, and more. The event was held in September of 2017 after raising nearly $30,000 for the park celebration.
A few highlights of the day included an appearance by Sand Springs racing legend Bennie “The Wizard” Osborn, who was the NHRA top fuel dragster world champion in 1967 and 1968. The OKC Thunder’s mascot, Rumble, made an entrance, and helped kick off a Thunder Cares new basketball court dedication and basketball camp for kids. There was an artistic Chalk-A-Thon sidewalk art-chalk contest. A few former cast members from the live outdoor production of Oklahoma performed a brief segment from the musical. The Charles Page High School marching band performed on stage before the Rogues Five took over, followed by local interactive DJ Morgan Ganem’s performance, which was choreographed with the grand finale fireworks display.
Sand Springs Riverfest was awarded state ORPS honors for its excellent use of private funds to create the event for citizens; the strong use of volunteers; utilizing creative marketing methods and offering a diverse number of activities for people during the event.
“Special events can be a struggle for any community and they can consume large amounts of resources,” stated Edwards. “The resources, funding, and commitments from local civic groups, businesses, churches and more launched Riverfest into an award winning quality event.”
For more information on the Sand Springs Parks and Recreation Department visit www.sandspringsok.org and follow them on Facebook.
ORPS was founded in 1956 to advance the parks and recreation profession and industry in Oklahoma. Annual conference attendees receive professional training, continuing education credits and more. For more information about ORPS visit: http://www.orps.us/
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The Sand Springs City Council met in a regular monthly meeting Monday evening and handed out a series of mayoral proclamations recognizing the Charles Page High School Wrestling Team for their State Championship wins this season.
The City of Sand Springs was recognized by the Oklahoma State Department of Health Center for the Advancement of Wellness for achieving the certified healthy designation of "Excellence." They were also awarded the 2017 State Historic Preservation Officer's Citation of Merit for the exterior rehabilitation of Page Memorial Library, which now houses the Sand Springs Historical and Cultural Museum.
Parks Director Grant Gerondale provided a presentation on ongoing Parks Department projects. The department has been executing controlled burns at the Keystone Ancient Forest over the past months to keep overgrowth under control. They are also establishing a controlled burn line and trail that will be approximately three miles long when complete. According to Gerondale, the forest receives approximately 3,500 visitors per year.
The River City Park renovation is well under way. The department has planted nearly 200 new trees in the largest re-foresting project in the history of the city. Two new playgrounds have been installed that Gerondale described as "second to nothing in the U.S." The disc golf course is being relocated deeper within the park and is being expanded to a full 18-hole course. There will also be a "Thunder Cares" Court built in the park.
The park is still seeing extensive use in spite of ongoing construction. The Will Ramsey Softball Park and Inez Kirk Soccer Complex both saw more than fifty teams apiece at tournaments this past weekend and the BMX track has seen increased use in the past year. The Jerry Adair Baseball Park and the Soccer Complex are both undergoing expansion with the addition of new fields.
SEE RELATED: Sand Springs Town Development History
Council unanimously approved the transfer of $51,578 from the ODOC Home Fund to the Capital Improvement Fund. The ODOC Home Fund was part of a federal program established in the 1990s to provide low-interest loans to elderly residents for home repairs. That program has long since been defunct and the funds have sat dormant for more than a decade. The money will now be used to acquire and combine vacant properties where dilapidated houses once stood in older neighborhoods.
Council unanimously approved resolutions authorizing the use of Community Development Block Grant funding for construction of a sidewalk on the south side of 10th Street between Adams Road and Ray Brown Park.
Council unanimously approved an agreement between the City and the Sand Springs Public School District authorizing the use of $47,862.00 for the use of enhanced security systems, including video camera installation.
Council unanimously approved the use of $1,500,000 to construct a new building to replace Fire Station #2 in Prattville. The current building has undergone multiple remodels that have failed to improve upon chronic roof leaks, a history of mold issues, and an overall inadequate design.
Council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the execution of several projects, including the commissioning of a series of murals around the community. One location planned to be the recipient of a beautification project is the abandoned silo on the property of Riverview RV Park on old Highway 51 in Prattville.
By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief
City of Sand Springs officials and Parks Department employees gathered together Tuesday morning at the Case Community Center to celebrate a new development in River City Park. The 100-acre park will receive a $6.2 million renovation thanks to Vision 2025 funding and a $2 million donation by Mike and Pat Case of Case & Associates.
What is currently known as River City Park is already the biggest park in Sand Springs and will soon become one of the nicest in Tulsa County thanks to Vision 2025 surplus funding and the Case family's benevolence.
Tulsa County approved millions in surplus Vision 2025 sales tax funding for Sand Springs in February of last year and Case & Associates CEO Mike Case pledged an additional $2 million to fully fund the ambitious Sand Springs parks vision.
"This is only possible because of generous donors like Mike and Pat Case," said Sand Springs City Councilwoman Patty Dixon. "Even though Mike and Pat now reside in Tulsa, they have always considered Sand Springs home."
"I've always thought Sand Springs was a great place to live. I still do and I think it's getting better and better," said Mike Case.
Mayor Mike Burdge discussed the similarities in population and quality of living between Sand Springs and Broken Arrow when he was growing up. "What changed was the attitude of the leadership in the City," said Burdge. "If we can get this park to be a location spot, get stuff going on here every month...the possibilities are unlimited."
The park is already the home of the Sand Springs Soccer Club recreational league, the West Side Alliance competitive soccer league, Sand Springs Little League baseball and softball, the Round Up Club rodeo arena, and the Sand Springs BMX Association. The recent addition of the Rotary Club Super Splash Pad has rounded out what was already a destination park for many in the Sand Springs area.
The new funding will provide for the demolition of old structures and the construction of a new amphitheater. New sidewalks, signage, landscaping, and a large-scale entrance will add to the looks of the park.
New sports facilities include two new youth baseball fields, a new tournament-sized soccer field, and a new half-court basketball court. An existing volleyball court will be renovated along with several horseshoe pits. The soccer fields, which currently have no special entrance, will receive a grand entry, as will the Jerry Adair Baseball Park, which is currently accessible only in a round-about way that requires leaving the park itself and driving down an industrial business road. An existing 18-hole disc golf course will be relocated deeper within the park in the area of the BMX track and Rodeo Arena.
Accessibility will be a major feature of the new renovations, with drop-off locations throughout the park, new parking and lighting, and new park shelters and restrooms. Park beautification is also a major goal with plans for improved view of the Arkansas River, nearly a dozen custom art pieces laser cut in Corten Steel and illuminated at night, as well as a grassy area being dubbed the "Great Lawn."
The Great Lawn will host a large outdoor pavilion and special event stage with remodeled restrooms and will be the premier viewing location for the annual Sertoma Fireworks Show, as well as will be the anchor location of the Chillin' and Grillin' Festival.
There will be a new playground constructed near the Rotary Super Splash Pad, which is already home to a large concessions building ran by Sand Springs Soccer Club President Jeremy Herrington. The concessions serves hot food and Harper's Hut Shaved Ice throughout the summer as a fundraiser for youth baseball and soccer.
Public events like the Chilin' and Grillin' Festival, as well the newly revived Great Raft Race will be made even better due to new restroom housing, electrical power connections, water line service, and parking.
Parks Director Grant Gerondale expects the renovation to take about a year to complete.
By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief
The City of Sand Springs held a busy City Council meeting Monday night, filled with informative presentations, recognition of service, mayoral appointments and proclamations, and much debate.
Mayor Mike Burdge read and presented a proclamation to L. Merle Parsons, recognizing his twelve years of voluntary service to the City Planning Commission. He has served as the Chairman of the Commission since 2009 and is resigning as of June 30th.
Mayor Burdge then proclaimed the summer of 2016 to be a "Summer of Reading" in the City of Sand Springs. Click here to read the full story.
The Council approved numerous measures under the consent agenda including the use of $30,036.50 for the purchase of a Trailer Mounted Patcher for the Street Department. The patcher will allow the Street Department to maintain asphalt temperature during transportation from the plant to the repair sites, making it easier to work with and mold to the existing streets. The current process involves transportation on an open flatbed work truck, meaning the asphalt has cooled by the time it arrives and is less pliable when filling potholes.
The Council also approved a contract of $38,597.20 to Direct Traffic Control for road striping in various sections of the city considered "average to poor." This includes sections of Park Road from Adams Road to 81st West Avenue, sections of Morrow Road from Highway 97 to Adams Road, and sections of 41st Street from Highway 97 to 129th.
The Council had scheduled to consider approval of a contract with Dewberry Architects for design of the new Public Safety Facility, but tabled it for the next meeting.
By request of Parks Director Grant Gerondale, the City approved an amended ordinance concerning overnight stay in Parks facilities. Currently, overnight camping is prohibited in City Parks. Exceptions for events such as Oklahoma Freewheel (SEE RELATED) and Chillin and Grillin Festival (SEE RELATED) must be taken to City Council. The amendment will allow for that decision to be made at the Parks staff level. The Council also approved a recommendation to close large sections of River City Park from Sunday September 4th through Monday September 5th to allow Great Raft Race organizers to properly prepare for the event and finish setup before the Labor Day launch.
A Studio 45 representative gave a presentation showing upcoming parks projects. A full story will be posted soon. Councilman Phil Nollan gave a presentation on USDA Rural Development, a full story on that is to come. Alan Ringle of Ringle Development, LLC gave a presentation regarding his requests for de-annexation of two housing developments.
Vice Mayor John Fothergill was appointed to the District Six seat on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Municipal League. Councilmen Fothergill, Jim Spoon, and Beau Wilson were appointed to the Council Legislative Committee. Councilmen Fothergill, Wilson, and Nollan were appointed to the Council Public Works Advisory Committee.
Mayor Burdge was appointed to the Indian Nations Council of Governments Board of Directors with City Manager Elizabeth Gray as an alternate. Councilmen Burdge and Fothergill were appointed to the INCOG General Assembly. Mayor Burdge was appointed to the INCOG Legislative Consortium with Gray as an alternate. Councilman Brian Jackson was appointed to the INCOG Tulsa Metropolitan Area Transportation Policy Committee.
Appointments to the Board of Adjustment, Development Authority, Personnel Board, and Parks Advisory Board were tabled for a later meeting. Councilwoman Patty Dixon and former Councilman Harold Neal were appointed to the Planning Commission.
City Financial Director Kelly Lamberson presented the regular monthly Financial Reports. According to Lamberson, overall revenue for the past month is down 2%, but the City spent 16.2% below projections. The Pogue Airport performance was up 4.5% from the prior month.
Gray reminded the Council that Arby's is the restaurant of the month for July as part of the City's Purchase with a Purpose Campaign.
According to Gray more than 100 homes registered with the City-Wide Yard Sale Map--double the number that participated last year. SEE RELATED.
In the Municipal Authority meeting the Board appointed Gray as an alternate to the Sand Springs-Sapulpa Joint Board and tabled the appointment of Airport Advisory Board members for a later meeting.
The Council retired to Executive Session "for the purpose of conferring on matters pertaining to economic development within the River West development area and for the purpose of conferring on other economic development projects in which public disclosure of the matter discussed would interfere with the confidentiality of the business...(and) for the purpose of conferring on matters pertaining to appraisal or acquisition of property for economic development purposes...and for the purpose of discussion related (to) possible claims against the Tulsa County Commissioners and/or Tulsa County Sheriff concerning jail operations..."
By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief
Councilwoman Patty Dixon was sworn into office at the Sand Springs City Council meeting Monday night, taking over the Ward 2 seat from Dean Nichols after running unopposed. Nichols served three terms after joining the Council in 2007 and asked Dixon to file for his seat after deciding not to pursue a fourth term last December.
Dixon had previously served on the Council for two terms from 1990-1996 and encouraged Mayor Mike Burdge to run for her seat when she stepped down twenty years ago. Dixon has an extensive resume including time served with the Sand Springs Parks Advisory Board, Museum Association, HEAL committee, Sertoma Club, Oklahoma Municipal League, and First Christian Church, and is a retired 26-year employee of the Tulsa County Parks Department. She has also served as the Executive Director for the Oklahoma Recreation and Parks Society. Along with her husband, Tim, Patty owns Dixon Auto Glass in Sand Springs.
In other news:
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