Several of the older recreation centers in Tulsa Parks are coming down to be replaced with splash pads and new playgrounds. It’s a controversial plan that has upset some citizens, but park officials say some of the centers are in such bad shape they’re too costly to repair. Special Projects Manager Gary Shellhorn uses the Maxwell Park rec center as an example. He says it would cost two million dollars to renovate the center and make it meet regulations for those with disabilities.
And that doesn’t include the cost of operating the facility which would mean another several thousand dollars a year. Park managers believe it’s better to build less costly outdoor facilities.