How Deep is the Myriad Gardens Lake?
Nobody seems to know. Consultant suggests 8-10 feet. But another person recites original documents saying it’s 14 feet deep. And that’s why a study is underway to figure out what we have.
Jim Tolbert is questioning the cost of plans to put in a “shelf” into the lake. Points out that a couple of “very, very inebriated people” fell into the lake in the early days, but nothing since. James Burnett responding gardens will have a lot more people, and if it doesn’t cost a lot to make the lake 90 percent safer, should look at that. Another consultant pointing out there may be new codes to deal with. Advises against being forced to surround the lake with handrails.
Waterfall in Meinders Garden, Sheridan and Robinson
Discussion of the Fountains Continues – a Glimpse at the Plan
The consultants, city planners, public works and parks employees, and the unpaid volunteers.
Hopefully you can see some details on this map on where new fountains are planned
Lighting up the Fountains?
The consultant with Fluidity is, I think, Shannon Hoff. More from her on the water pond/ice rink planned in front of the restaurant:
- Add more interest to water pool in front of restaurant? Maybe some flush LED lights below the surface, operated on a dimmer. “As they dim, it will appear as if they’re receeding. They will rise to the surface illusionally. It will create the illusion of depth. As we know it’s only an inch and a half deep, but this will make it look as if something else is going on.”
James Burnett said he is looking into an ice rink in Ann Arbor, Michigan that has colored lights under the ice rink surface.
Link to Fluidity Provided by Reader
Now this is where live blogging gets to be really cool. As I’m in the room reporting what’s being said, a reader has emailed me a link to a cool flash site of Fluidity’s work (the fountains consultant for the Myriad Gardens)
Go here.
More on Fountains
The theme here is that there will be water features in the periphery of the gardens leading and visually connecting with the pond. Goal is soften, make the gardens lush, ensure it’s not a hard edge feature.
The water feature with waves would be by the concert pavilion. Now we’re listening to plans for a series of water stairs leading from Hudson Avenue to the gardens pond. The consultant explaisn it wil swirl around, cascade down, and have some life to it.
Listening to Presentation on Fountains
They’re looking at a video of a water feature I’ve not seen before. Think of the water channel that connects the Bricktown Canal and the Ackerman Dancing Fountains on Sheridan. And then imagine some sort of device causing the water to turn into ongoing quiet waves.
Some members are concerned about noise. Consultant (missed her name) says it will be very quiet and calming. Consultant is with a firm named Fluidity.
Let the Live Blogging Begin – the Myriad Gardens
Lead designer James Burnett is the first presenter. He is re-emphasizing just how rapid a timeline the city is following on the $30 million makeover of the Myriad Gardens.
The work is part of Project 180 – improvements throughout downtown funded by the Devon tower TIF.
Burnett noted design development and schematic design at the same time. And that, he says, might not be all that bad.
“We are hearing prices are very favorable right now,” Burnett said. “I think this speed up here may help us. I don’t know what it will be like in a year, but if you look at the markets, things are coming back. And we’ll be bidding this out in the next few months instead of a year or year and a half from now.”
Burnett’s team is pricing out various features. Some items were estimated too high, others too low. Right now, it appears the project may be over budget.
Live Blogging Set to Return on Wednesday
I’ll be posting on the Myriad Gardens and Devon downtown improvements all day, wireless card willing.
Interested in Oklahoma City History?
Then check out www.okchistory.com, a site I host in my “spare time” with Jack Money, my co-author on “OKC Second Time Around” and our newest book, “Skirvin,” which comes out December 2. Our latest post includes details on the launch of our new book.
