MORE TO SHORE

Oklahoma River to get a tree makeover

A mostly barren 3.5-mile stretch of the Oklahoma River south of downtown is set to get an influx of 1,000 trees, patches of wildflowers and natural grasses, and about 50 natural stone benches as part of a 50th anniversary celebration next year by the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

The Oklahoma River was lined with trees when it was a prairie river in the city’s earliest years, but flooding prompted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to straighten and widen the waterway, strip out all the trees and line it with rocks. The result was an ugly spillway that was dry more often than not.

Brandon Boydstun, a planner with the city’s park department, said the original MAPS program added a trail and some landscaping along the river in the early 2000s, but the stretch between Western and Portland avenues remained relatively barren with just an asphalt trail.

“Some trees survived, some haven’t,” Boydstun said. “There were budget concerns that led to why that landscaping didn’t continue. Now we have the opportunity to bring this back up.”

Beautification of parks and elementary schools, including tree plantings, has long been a part of the work done by the foundation which was started in 1969 by philanthropist John Kirkpatrick.

“It’s a great way to do a big symbolic project that will benefit the entire community,” said director Nancy Anthony. “We want this to be a project the community can participate and everyone can enjoy.”

To ensure these plantings are a long-term success, the foundation is working with the parks department to reboot an irrigation system added with the original MAPS project that is fed by river water.

Brian Dougherty, Oklahoma City Community Foundation, said the

project started two years ago with an intensive study on which trees are best suited for the area and a look at soil conditions at the planting clusters that will be located near the river trail spur with the Will Rogers Trail and near a never completed amphitheater near the May Avenue crossing.

The plantings will be done over the next few weeks with a dedication set for next spring. Dougherty said the foundation will work with the parks department to carefully oversee the plantings and ensure they take.

“We want every one of these trees to be sustainable 50 years from now,” Dougherty said. “We have a lot of short-lived trees. What we’re working with are shade trees ... most are native and adaptable.”

[PHOTO BY DAVE MORRIS, THE OKLAHOMAN] The Oklahoma River trails at Western Avenue and along Wheeler Park is a barren stretch with the north shore exposed to nearby Interstate 40. The Oklahoma City Community Foundation is set to plant wildflowers and 1,000 trees and add stone benches to beautify the corridor.

[THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES] BELOW: The Oklahoma River, known as the North Canadian River and shown in this photo during the earliest days of the city, was an oasis of trees along a meandering prairie river during the first 20 years after the 1889 Land Run. This photo was taken along Wheeler Park.