Another outdated Tulsa Parks Community Center comes down, this one on the south side of town. There’s been a lot of debate about the demolition of old Tulsa Parks community centers and pools, especially on the northside, but the latest to meet the wrecking ball is Heller Park Rec Center on South Wheeling. For many years it was home to Heller Theater, and seeing the building come down is a sad sight for those like this young woman, Cari, who spent summers at the theater camp. She started as a nine-year-old at summer theater classes, then kept going until her upper teen years when she served as a camp counselor. She says the building has a lot of happy memories, and is sorry to see it go.
Heller will be replaced with a picnic shelter area, a water fountain, and new sidewalks. Other centers are scheduled for demolition, but the next on the list to be torn down hasn’t yet been determined.