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Tulsa commission moves ahead on Dreamkeepers Park design, seeks remaining $1.7 million
Summary
The Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission reported that five architectural firms have been shortlisted for Dreamkeepers Park and said it still needs about $1.7 million in funding to complete the project.
Joyce Roberts, chair of the Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission, said the commission has narrowed the search for a designer for Dreamkeepers Park to five architectural firms and will conduct interviews over the next two weeks.
The commission has been raising private and tribal funding for the park. "We have selected, down selected 5, architectural firms that are going to be, interviewed in the next 2 weeks before we select our designers, so we're moving forward with that," Roberts said during the commission's April meeting.
Why it matters: Dreamkeepers Park is a city-tribal priority the commission is advancing through fundraising and design selection. Commission leadership described ongoing outreach to tribal governments and corporate donors as essential to completing the project's budget.
Commission members said fundraising is nearly complete but that a gap remains. "We're moving forward with the park and, still where we are on fundraising is we have about, I think, 1,700,000.0 left to raise," Roberts said, adding that commissioners have presented to the Osage Nation and other potential donors and planned follow-ups with the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations.
Committee members said the commission plans to engage neighborhood associations and businesses after the designer is chosen. Commissioners discussed using a city press release to publicize the design selection and keep community interest high.
The commission also discussed linking Dreamkeepers Park to nearby public spaces. Commissioners described discussions about connecting the park to Council Oak Crystal Ballpark by a running path so the two areas can be used together for events such as 5Ks. Commissioners said a neighborhood nonprofit and other partners have discussed taking responsibility for maintaining public art and coordinating a historical path between the two sites.
Next steps: the commission will interview the shortlisted firms, select a designer, continue fundraising outreach, and coordinate forthcoming community engagement and press materials. Roberts said she expects additional park committee meetings that will include neighborhood representatives once a designer is onboarded.
