The City of Oklahoma City is inviting residents to share ideas on improvements to 105 community and neighborhood parks across Oklahoma City as a part of MAPS 4 by completing the survey at maps4parks.com. The survey is available in English and Spanish and will be open through May 2023.
Community input from the survey will guide consultants as they develop a master plan and assess current park conditions, accessibility and potential expansion needs for neighborhood and community parks around Oklahoma City.
MAPS 4 includes $69.6 million to upgrade every municipal neighborhood and community park outside of the central business district. Improvements will be based on onsite park assessments and current park standards, in addition to community feedback from the survey.
Amenities and potential improvements to neighborhood parks may include (but not limited to):
- Informal practice fields/open space
- Walking trails
- Play structures
- Outdoor fitness facilities
- Picnic areas
- Park shelters
Additionally, potential improvements to community parks may include (but not limited to):
- Botanical/community gardens
- Playground equipment
- Bathrooms
- Shade structures
- Splashpads
- Trees
- Activity facilities
- Signage
Neighborhood and community parks upgrades are part of the $154 million budget for the MAPS 4 Parks project. $22.2 million will fund outdoor basketball and pickleball courts, community gardens, placemaking efforts at Lake Stanley Draper, renovations with Booker T. Washington Park, improvements at Minnis Lakeview Park, enhancements at the Northeast Community Center and building four new parks in Canadian County, Cleveland County, far northeast and southeast Oklahoma City. The project also includes $32.3 million to improve C.B. Cameron Park and South Lakes Park as well as $12.8 million for improvements along the Oklahoma River. Another $16.5 million is allocated for an operating fund to provide for the operations and maintenance of these park improvements.
“As we set out to improve parks around the city, the first step is to gather feedback from the community for this project to have an understanding of what the needs are,” said MAPS 4 Program Manager David Todd. “Our goal is to transform the city’s parks system, especially in the areas that need it most. We believe that parks are critical to making our city great and our goal is to improve our neighborhood and community parks in the most equitable way possible.”
Residents can stay up to date on the MAPS 4 Parks project at okc.gov/maps4. Learn more about the MAPS 4 Parks public engagement process and take the survey at maps4parks.com.
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About MAPS 4
MAPS 4 is a debt-free public improvement program funded by a temporary penny sales tax that will raise a projected $1.07 billion over eight years. Oklahoma City voters approved the sales tax to fund MAPS 4 in a special election on Dec. 10, 2019, moving forward with a unique and ambitious plan to transform our community. The temporary penny sales tax funding MAPS 4 began April 1, 2020, and ends in 2028. More than 70 percent of MAPS 4 funding is dedicated to neighborhood and human needs. The rest is for quality of life and job-creating initiatives. The MAPS 4 Citizens Advisory Board and its six subcommittees will guide MAPS 4 planning and implementation, making recommendations to the City Council. The Council has final authority on MAPS 4. The MAPS Investment and Operating Trust developed a strategic investment plan to support long-term sustainable funding for MAPS 4 projects' operational expenses and maintenance. Visit okc.gov/maps4 for more.