Gathering Place - A Riverfront Masterpiece

Gathering Place in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is an award-winning 100-acre park located on the banks of the Arkansas River. After years of planning, the park broke ground in September 2014 and the first 66.5 acres opened in September 2018. The main attractions are the Chapman Adventure Playground, the Williams Lodge, a boathouse, splash playground, great lawn, outdoor sports courts, a skate park, a wetland pond and garden, and many trails, among other locations.

Voices of Oklahoma felt it was important to have an oral history recording detailing the overall construction, its challenges, description of materials used, and the emotional connection to the city. We did this so future generations using Gathering Place could hear the voice of Jeff Stava, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the project, describe the planning, preparation, and opening of the park, so they could understand the reason for such an enormous commitment by the George Kaiser Family Foundation.