The city wants to honor veterans and Tulsa’s Native American history by renaming two parks.
Mayor G.T. Bynum announced plans to rename the park at 21st Street and Boulder Avenue Dream Keepers Park.
The park is currently named Veterans Park, a name that will travel a few blocks to the park at Sixth Street and Peoria Avenue. That park is currently called Centennial Park.
There’s a good argument for both changes.
The current Veterans Park is lovely, but has no logical connection to veterans. The proposed new Veteran’s Park is across the street from Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 577 and American Legion Post 1. The proximity to the service organization has meant the park at Sixth and Peoria has regularly been the spot for patriotic displays honoring veterans. The park features a lovely pond, hiking trails and the 12,500-foot Central Center, complete with an auditorium, fitness room, visual arts room, commercial kitchen and several meeting rooms.
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The proposed Dream Keepers Park spot is at the gateway to downtown Tulsa.
It features a big, open playing field that is popular with soccer teams, dog walkers and people looking to throw around flying disks.
The park is close to Creek Nation Council Oak Park at 18th Street and Cheyenne Avenue, which memorializes the historic starting point for the city of Tulsa by the Lochapoka clan of the Muscogee Nation after they were forced out of Alabama in 1836.
The name Dream Keepers comes from an annual award given by the Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission to citizens who exemplify strong character and have made a difference in their dedication to public service.
“We want to properly honor two communities without which we would not exist,” Bynum said in announcing the proposal. “Not only will the parks’ names be a way for us to show our appreciation, but we hope, in both cases, these parks become a centerpiece for cultural activities, celebrations and educational programs in the future.”
The plan requires the approval of the Parks Board and City Council to take effect
Native American and veteran leaders have spoken in favor of the idea, but the Park Board and City Council would be wise to give the idea time for others to express their opinions.
At this point, it sounds like an idea we can like, but we want time to hear if everyone else thinks so, too. Any time you change the names of public parkland, especially when it involves cultural references to veterans, it’s smart to make sure the public buy-in is complete before you move ahead. Parks should bring the community together, not split them apart, so let’s make sure the logic of the proposed change fits the community’s sense of what should be done by giving everyone the chance to speak up on the issue before it’s decided.
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