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Commission plans scaled Native American Day and kicks off park-design work; parks firm TSW named
Summary
At its June 17 meeting commissioners discussed plans for Native American Day on Oct. 13, selected TSW as the parks design firm to begin work on a commemorative park, and reported a $1,500 donation from the Shawnee tribe and a flag from the Modoc tribe.
Commissioners said June 17 that Native American Day will be observed on Oct. 13 and that preparations this year will reflect upcoming construction at the park site, changes to parking and vendor layouts, and a streamlined footprint intended to keep the event moving while construction begins.
The parks committee reported that it has selected TSW, a locally based landscape design firm described at the meeting as woman-owned and Cherokee-affiliated, to begin the design phase for the commemorative park. The parks committee chair said the group will hold a design kick-off with the parks department on June 26 to move from selection to schematic design, and added that the committee is mindful of grant spending timelines tied to the project.
The committee discussed fundraising and sponsorships. The chair said the Shawnee tribe has pledged $1,500 and that the Modoc tribe had sent a flag in response to the commission’s outreach. Committee members said the art element for a planned monument will be funded separately and that an RFP for the artwork would come later, after core park construction is underway.
Commissioners also described other event logistics: a large vendor tent, a separate sponsors tent, and a designated committee tent for the scribe section; organizers said they are moving away from using Eventbrite and will use Google Forms for vendor registration this year. The parks committee chair said the commission is aiming to balance event needs with construction timelines so that Native American Day can proceed while the park project advances.
The parks committee noted it still seeks participation or funding confirmation from the Osage Nation for one of three planned gardens; the chair said outreach and presentations have occurred and that the committee is continuing conversations with Osage leaders.
Next steps: the parks committee will hold a June 26 kickoff meeting with the parks department and move toward schematic drawings; the commission’s Native American Day working group will continue registration and sponsorship outreach.
