Comments on: The $35 Million Myriad Gardens Makeover – UPDATED 6 P.M. FRIDAY

By: Larry

Larry — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:32:36 +0000

sorry, my apologies to Robin Williams, meant “Redneck Venice” not Riviera

By: Larry

Larry — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:22:11 +0000

\This isn’t the Wichita Mountains, let’s not try to be it.\

With all due respect, we aren’t Dallas West End, but we have Bricktown. We aren’t San Antonio River Walk, but we have the Redneck Riviera err, I mean Bricktown Canal. San Fransisco and many other cities of Streetcars, we will have ours in MAPS 3. As Ed suggested, lets emulate the best of other cities and put an Okie twist on it.

By: Ed

Ed — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:27:28 +0000

Steven. OKC and Oklahoma needs all the attractions it can create. Tourists bring wealth in from outside the area. Every city has parks and man made buildings. Use designs from the master designer (Mother Nature) when possible. At least the Skydance Bridge is an attempt to use Mother Nature. Be creative and make something you can not see anywhere except in OKC. This will bring tourists and people who want to live and work near it.

By: Steven

Steven — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:59:55 +0000

We don’t need a “cave” monument or attraction. This isn’t the Wichita Mountains, let’s not try to be it.

Jill/Reggie. The Ford Dealership Block IS the block seperating the two parks. The City does show renderings that SUGGEST that they will aquire it to allow for use of denser development such as a Mixed Use development with lower level retail on all sides and then upper level offices and condos/apartments. If you study the “Harvey Axis” I recommended to someone earlier, or watch the Core To Shore videos, you’ll see the Harvey Axis extending through this block (a small strip of park/green space) that connects the two parks through this block. The crux of the Harvey Axis starts at the Devon Tower (built on Harvey Ave.) and extends through Myriad Gardens through the divider block, through the C2S park (walkway through parks are exactly at Harvey) it extends to the new Highway, the Skydance Bridge is built on the Harvey Axis and then the new stuff south of the river is also built along it. If you study the renderings and videos, you will see it better and how it all ties together and makes sense.

By: Larry

Larry — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:49:00 +0000

Love the cave idea! Along those lines, to take care of the change in elevation problem with connecting the Canal with any expansions (like to the new convention center), make it a circular path and log-flume type attraction (can be pulled by chain like they do roller coasters and stuff to the higher elevation) and then drop back down to the Bricktown level. Can even incorporate the Pirate ship that was mentioned by someone in the MAPS 3 survey and possibly theme the entire attraction with Disney and the Pirates of the Caribbean (if you want to know how to do anything right when it comes to tourists, just look at Disney, from Mass Transit to Corporate Naming Rights)! Not sure how to incorporate the Land Run Monument into that theme, but add a couple of animatronic figures into the mix? Where is that Ferris Wheel going to end up anyway?

By: Ed

Ed — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:27:59 +0000

William,
The music is a good idea if it would draw more tourists :~)
I like to throw ideas out there which maybe someone can use or lead to another idea they never thought of. Remember the crazy idea we had of a man walking on the moon.
A good class project for all the school children in metro OKC would be to design a transition from the Myriad Gardens to the new park. They will be using it when they get older if they do not move away.

By: William

William — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:10:10 +0000

Ed,

I have been waiting for your suggestion to have an artificial rock involved. Let’s do one better and have
“It’s a Small World” music played continuously from the rock.

By: Ed

Ed — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:57:59 +0000

How about a new attraction no other city has to transition from the Myriad Gardens to the new park.
Cave Museum.
A large artificial rock formation full of caves with all or as many artificial cave formations possible with enhanced lighting. You could see most cave formations in one Cave Museum. Walking paths or small train could take you through it. Waterfalls with plants and vines could enhance the outside surface and some inside areas. Tourist may pay to see it. A new attraction to bring more people to downtown OKC.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:37:08 +0000

Hi Zach,

Not sure if the tree study will go public or not. I know that horticulturalists at the Myriad Gardens are working closely with arborists and other consultants on the study. Many of the trees under consideration for removal are either nuisance trees (Bradford Pears), or are nearing their natural life span and would not make good candidates for transplantation.

I can assure you they are taking any and all measures possible to ensure the viability of as many trees as possible and are acting under great advisement and discrimination. They are not just yanking trees out for the heck of it.

By: Reggie Jet

Reggie Jet — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:11:39 +0000

Quite exiting stuff! It’s always great to read your reporting, Steve.

I agree there should be a way to connect the gardens to the proposed Central park, but perhaps the current buildings there could be replaced by other retail/restaurant developments that would increase foot traffic. Those buildings could be set farther back from Harvey to allow more green space to connect the gardens to the boulevard and park beyond. A large landscaped median in the boulevard could even serve as park space if done right.

Ah, but first things first. We got to get that Maps 3 vote out so Steve will have even more exciting things to report about!

Ha, ha: the security words to allow this post are “ing mediocre”. Nothing mediocre about our city’s dreams at this moment in time.