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Travel with Terri Guthrie
Gathering Place THE
by Terri Guthrie | photos courtesy of Terri Guthrie
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Are you looking for something nearby to do this summer? Well, I have a great idea for you, and it’s just north of us in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Gathering Place has been named “America’s Best New Attraction” by USA TODAY. It was also awarded the “World’s Greatest Places” by Time Magazine in 2019. And what a place it is!!! We have been countless times and still have not seen everything. You really need to see this new creative and very unique FREE Park!
This brand new riverfront park was designed as an inclusive green space where residents and visitors alike can relax and engage with one another. The expansive park makes use of more than six million gallons of water and 80
tree species, with attractions like multistory fireplaces, an adventure playground, a boathouse, restaurants, coffee shops, a sensory garden, and a reading tree. There’s something here for everyone.
The Gathering Place is centered on the east bank of the Arkansas River. It is largely the brainchild of Tulsa multibillionaire and philanthropist, George Kaiser. This publicprivate partnership covers approximately 100 acres of land. As of September 2018, it has cost about $465 million to construct. The future for The Gathering Place looks very promising as the Kaiser Family Foundation also created a $100 million endowment to support maintenance of the park for the next 99 years. Every city should be so lucky!
Fortunately, our daughter, son-in-law, and grandsons live here, so we visit this wonderful park as often as possible and always find new things to discover. It’s definitely a park like none other. Go and see for yourself…you will be glad you did!
