EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Collaborators Town of Luther Parks Commission Jenni White, Mayor Kasey Wood, Chairman David Sheldon OU Institute for Quality Communities Shane Hampton Ron Frantz Hope Mander Taylor Huizenga Alice Calmon Matt Kessler Guest Experts Sarah Little, PhD (OU Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture) Brian Dougherty (Oklahoma City Community Foundation) Cassi Poor (Alliance for Economic Development of OKC) Meeting Participants Joshua Trupe Dalton Bart Ashlee Webster Tiffany Titsworth Joshua Smith Diane Couch Stephanie Smith Chris Ivich Summer Shelton Charlotte Sumner Jennifer Winton Susan Shelton Martha Winton Sandra LeGrande Cindy McDaniel Tami McDaniel Brandon Rogers Dawn Shelton Brandy Langston Rosemarie Strong Heather Perry
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In 2019, leaders of the Town of Luther and Parks Commission submitted a proposal for a collaboration with the University of Oklahoma Institute for Quality Communities. The IQC partnership with the Oklahoma Municipal League provided matching funds to make the project possible. The Town of Luther is looking to make investments in Wild Horse Park, a historic public property located along Route 66. This report describes the process of community outreach and plan development, proposes a concept plan to guide designs and fundraising efforts for Wild Horse Park, and concludes with next steps that set a starting point for implementation of improvements. Plan Development & Community Outreach The IQC team met with the project partners for a site visit at the park on September 20, to discuss plans for Wild Horse Park and survey the site. On October 2, the IQC team and Luther project partners hosted a community meeting to discuss citizens’ dreams for the park and how it would impact the community. The IQC team began to sketch concept plans for Wild Horse Park following the community meeting. The plan development process included guest experts and a review by community partners in Luther. Concept Plan The concept plan sets a general vision for elements and layout within Wild Horse Park. The plan includes a description of strategies for parks, trails, landscaping, access roads, and facilities. The concept plan also recommends three overarching goals for the design of Wild Horse Park, based on community feedback and site-specific opportunities:
• Establish a connection to Route 66 • Celebrate local heritage • Include nature play opportunities Next Steps This report concludes with guidance on next steps, including cost estimates for common park elements, revenue and grant opportunities, and nearby parks to visit for further research.
