A roadside park is being designed just south of the freshly-painted water tower on Ozark Trail, just north of Highway 66 and east of the VFW, in the triangular strip created by the two roads.
At Monday evening’s Administration and Finance Committee meeting, City Manager Joan Riley explained that she has given the destination the working title of “Rock Creek Park” and that Sapulpa firm Reed Architecture & Interiors is working on design renderings to present to City Council.
“I asked Reed Architecture to look at that area because we have a tremendous amount of people stopping and getting out of their cars and taking pictures [there],” Riley said.
Riley said that the concept is to use the “whole area as a greenery park, with wildflowers,” including the Indian Blanket flower, which is featured on the water tower that anchors the site. She said that the design of the park is not modern, rather that, “It’s actually very simple” and that it is “not made to be meticulously maintained.”
An aerial rendering of the proposed park was displayed at the meeting, showing the entrance coming from the south off Highway 66, leading to a small parking lot in the center of the site. To the east and west of the parking lot are the greenery and wildflowers, different topography, including rocks, and several seating areas.
To the north of the parking lot is a long, curved “outlook wall” where individuals or groups, even entire families, could take photos with the water tower as a scenic backdrop.
From there, visitors could walk west on Ozark Trail and stroll over the historic Rock Creek Bridge.
City Attorney David Widdoes noted that “This drawing contemplates the closing of Rock Creek Bridge, but doesn’t require it. But, when we do the new road [that connects Highway 117 with Ozark Trail, to the west of the bridge] it eliminates the need [for vehicles] to use the bridge. People will be able to go through the light [where Highway 117 connects with Highway 66]…This design does preserve that section of Route 66 roadway, which is very rare. We have more than any other existing location, we think.”
Committee Member Lou Martin asked Chamber of Commerce President Suzanne Shirey, who was in attendance, if she thought that tourists would prefer to drive their cars over the bridge, rather than go by foot.
Shirey confirmed that yes, most Route 66 and classic car enthusiasts “would want to drive it if they had their way,” but noted that the historic bridge “continues to need work.”
Widdoes suggested that as part of the tourist attraction a dedicated classic car could be provided for people to drive over the bridge and with which to take pictures, but said again that closing the bridge to vehicular traffic is just an option and not a certainty. “We want to look for options to see what we can do with this bridge. It’s a very unusual piece…and it’s highly underutilized.”
He said, “We have four of the most sought-after Route 66 attractions in the area, and we need to utilize that. The TeePee Drive-In will be fixed, we have the Auto Museum—this really could be a tourist destination.”
Riley told the Committee that there was no decision or action to be taken yet, but that she wanted to make them aware of upcoming plans.
