Park board, mayor clarify Centennial Park deed, reassure public there are no plans to change the site

Pryor Creek officials reviewed the deed for Centennial Park and sought to reassure the public that the city has no plans to alter the park’s character or sell the property. Board members said the deed includes a 15-year condition that allows reversion to the grantor if the property was not used as intended; staff said the 15-year period had been met and the city has continued to maintain the site.

At the meeting, the mayor called Centennial Park a community space and rejected suggestions that the city intended to exclude children or remove recreational use. “That park is for Pryor. It is a community space and I will I personally will never engage in running a child or kid out of a playground or a park,” the mayor said. Board members and staff said longstanding master-plan concepts for the park—gazebos, trails and flower beds—were discussed decades ago and that funding constraints limited full build-out.

Board members said they had fielded questions from the Williams family, the donors associated with the park, and acknowledged emotion around rumors circulating on social media. Staff said they found no evidence the city intended to sell or significantly repurpose Centennial Park, and that any future changes would follow normal public-review processes, and likely be limited to small, maintenance-oriented additions such as a bench or plantings.

The board emphasized its gratitude to the Williams family for the donation and said the park will remain maintained by the city in accordance with the deed terms. The discussion was informational; the board did not take formal action.