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Parks survey shows walking track and trails high on resident wish list; pool funding less favored when cost shown
Summary
A Parks & Recreation micro-survey of 3,509 respondents showed highest interest in an indoor walking track and trails/exercise stations; when told an indoor pool would cost about $20 million, respondents preferred other spending priorities. Staff said results will inform the 2026 bond planning.
City staff presented results of a Parks & Recreation micro-survey that drew 3,509 responses about priorities for a proposed community center, Elam Park master plan elements and trail expansion.
Aaron, presenting the results, said an indoor walking track was the top feature for a community center (63% rated it essential or very important) and that indoor recreational swimming pools scored lower overall. He noted a follow-up question that informed respondents the estimated cost for an indoor pool would be about $20,000,000 and that respondents preferred other uses for that funding when the cost was made explicit.
On Elam Park master-plan elements, Aaron said exercise stations and trail connections ranked highest (73%), followed by park pavilions and a splash pad. Responses on sporting facilities varied by location; outdoor pickleball and additional athletic-field improvements registered moderate interest. Aaron said the survey sample skewed older among respondents who registered accounts through the survey vendor and that only 102 registered users participated in the more detailed, account-based responses.
Matt Hendren, present in the chamber and listed as a staff contact for the survey, told council the data will be used to help prioritize projects for the 2026 general obligation bond and for future micro-surveys. Rocky Hinkle confirmed transit-survey work is ongoing with Tulsa Transit about possible service expansions and that phase 2 of the transit study was nearing completion.
Councilors asked about how survey demographics could skew results and how recreational facilities tie into broader economic-development goals for competitive sporting events. Staff said the results would be posted online, used in bond planning and refined with additional outreach as the 2026 bond process proceeds.
Staff said they will share the survey results with the public, include them in bond planning materials and run follow-up outreach before finalizing bond proposals.
