 Click the image above to watch the May 2025 edition of Broken Arrow in Motion with City Manager Michael Spurgeon.
In this May 2025 edition of Broken Arrow in Motion, we highlight the progress achieved this month for several active projects around the City of Broken Arrow.
First, the Gateways Project is a part of the City's comprehensive plan to enhance the community's visual appeal and branding. The architectural entryway signs are strategically placed at primary points in the City. The concrete and masonry work are complete on each primary and secondary sign. The electrical installation to light the signs is underway, and the sprinkler systems have been installed. Once lit, these beautiful monuments will welcome people home to Broken Arrow 24 hours a day.
Progress is happening on the Highland Park Rugby Field on the northeast corner of Oneta Road and Washington Street. Concrete for the entrance was poured in late April, and the asphalt is now in place in the parking lot. All of the curbs and gutters have been completed. The field will include 236,000 square feet of natural turf and a parking lot. It will be a great addition to the City's sports facilities.
At the Events Park Infrastructure project, the third parking lot is complete. Crossland Heavy Construction is now installing curbs, gutters, and irrigation lines. The concrete on the pedestrian bridge deck and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority entry ramp have been poured. Now, the toll equipment is being relocated. Work is finishing on a box culvert over the creek at the Events Park entryway.
Outside of Events Park, the street striping on New Orleans Street, the last significant portion of the widening project from NSU to 37th Street, is now finished. The contractor has a few punch list items to complete. The City is transitioning into Phase 2 of the widening project, the east section of 209th Street, and working on obtaining the rights-of-way necessary for construction.
Also, on New Orleans Street, at Lynn Lane, a 2.5-million-gallon elevated water storage tank is under construction. The contractor has completed the second wall pour, and this vertical wall-building process will continue over the next few months.
The waterline installation at the Melinda Park subdivision is now finished, and the sewer line installation is approximately 75 percent complete. In addition, this project phase's driveways and sidewalks are completed. The Engineering and Construction Department says they will soon begin installing the fence, laying the sod, and compiling the final punch list items.
Over at the Arrow Forge Innovation District in south Broken Arrow, a 12-inch water line is connected to the north side of Florence Street. The contractor is pressure testing the waterline and a sanitary sewer line. Once testing is complete, they will be connected to the lift station. The storm sewer is about 95 percent complete, and the road construction should begin sometime in June.
On the Houston Street Widening and Intersection project from Garnett Road to Olive Street, the contractor has started placing the curb and gutter on the east end of Houston Street. They are continuing work on the concrete intersection at Olive Street and the south side of Houston Street. The plan is to begin working on the entrances into the sub-divisions at Willow Street, Sweet Gum Street, and Cypress Street. The asphalt phase on the south side of the roadway will begin soon.
In recognition of Broken Arrow's more than 400 public works employees and in line with the American Public Works Association's National Public Works Week theme, "People, Purpose, Presence," the City of Broken Arrow honors those who keep the city functioning smoothly.
Mayor Debra Wimpee and the City Council joined other municipalities nationwide in recognizing May 18-24, 2025, as National Public Works Week. While the national recognition week may have passed, our public works employees' responsibilities never end.
 Click the image above to watch a tribute to the hard-working Public Works employees at the City of Broken Arrow. (Pictured from left to right are the Pat Acosta, Eddy McClain, Dennis Hanewinkel, Juan Trujillo, and Billy Rodgers from the Forestry Division of the Parks Department.)
The Mayor's proclamation states, "Whereas public works professionals focus on infrastructure, facilities, and services that are of vital importance to sustainable and resilient communities and public health, high quality of life, and well-being of the people of Broken Arrow, and whereas, these infrastructure, facilities, and services could not be provided without the dedicated efforts of public works professionals, who are engineers, managers, and employees at all levels of government and the private sector, who are responsible for rebuilding, improving, and protecting our nation's transportation, water supply, water treatment, and solid waste systems, public buildings, and other structures and facilities effective for our citizens."
Mayor Wimpee urged residents to recognize the profound impact that public works professionals have on our daily lives. Their work safeguards health, ensures safety, and enhances the quality of life for everyone in Broken Arrow.
The City's public works division, the Operations Group, includes the Utilities Department, Community Development, Solid Waste/Recycling, Engineering/Construction, Parks/Recreation, Emergency Management, and Streets/Stormwater.
The "People, Purpose, Presence" theme emphasizes the ideals motivating public works professionals to serve their communities daily. When asked about their jobs, it often becomes clear that these individuals come to work each day with pride and a strong sense of purpose.
"We appreciate the community backing us up, giving us support, voting for our bonds, and giving us the money to do our jobs," said Jerry Waymire, who works in the Streets Department as a truck driver. "I live in Broken Arrow and grew up here, so I enjoy working here and seeing the fruits of my labor. We appreciate everybody's patience and support while doing our projects."
Public works professionals often do not have the opportunity to meet the individuals whose lives are positively affected by their efforts; nevertheless, individuals like Water Plant Operator Jed Beloncik take pride in providing the city with drinking water.
"Thank you so much for your support," Beloncik said. It means a lot to me to treat clean, potable drinking water for the 120,000 people who live in this great city. Thank you!"
These professionals work tirelessly behind the scenes to improve everyone's quality of life, even if their contributions often go unnoticed.
"We appreciate everything you all do to support us, and we work hard to get out here and support you all, too. Thank you very much," said Amory Fuller, construction supervisor for the Stormwater Department.
The City of Broken Arrow and Keep Broken Arrow Beautiful celebrated the grand opening of The Gardens at Central Park, 1500 S. Main St., located west of the Central Park Community Center, on May 23.
"Building projects that improve our citizens' quality of life, like The Gardens at Central Park, are some of the most rewarding endeavors we do as a city," said Mayor Debra Wimpee. "This garden will become a landmark, distinguishing our city for generations as the trees and plants continue to bloom and grow. By encouraging pollination, The Gardens at Central Park will not only be a beautiful and serene destination for residents and visitors to the community, but it will also encourage sustainability, and it will help Broken Arrow continue to flourish as a community."
Click on the image above to watch a tour of The Gardens of Central Park and hear more from KBAB's Sharon Atcheson or click here to watch the video from the ribbon cutting ceremony.
The event marked a significant milestone as City officials, community members, and the Keep Broken Arrow Beautiful [KBAB] organization came together to celebrate the opening of this sustainable, educational garden, which has been in the making for nearly 14 years.
KBAB chair Sharon Atcheson thanked the City of Broken Arrow for its partnership in creating The Gardens at Central Park.
"The synergy that we have in Broken Arrow is hard to explain to people who are not from Broken Arrow," Atcheson said. "They don't understand how we work together for the good of Broken Arrow, but that's what makes this a special place!"
Atcheson described a bit of the journey that KBAB and the City endured, eventually making The Gardens at Central Park possible. The COVID pandemic slowed KBAB's fundraising efforts. Still, KBAB was determined to see this garden come to fruition and continued the Broken Arrow Rose Festival once it became safe. The Broken Arrow Rose Festival, held in conjunction with the Chalk It Up Art Festival and the Rose Kite Festival, annually serves as garden fundraisers. This year's event will be held on Sept. 27-29.
"Our dream has become a reality. It's finally happened! We are so grateful to the Broken Arrow residents who supported the GO Bond in 2018, which provided funding," Atcheson said. "This garden belongs to all of us. This lovely amenity to our city will be a peaceful place for everyone to enjoy and a perfect place for prom, graduation, and family pictures."
Atcheson described another significant development in the garden's creation, when Bobby Nelson donated $10,000 to honor his father and mother, Jim and Peggy Nelson. That donation was used toward the first design of The Gardens at Central Park.
"That's when we came up with what the garden would look like," Atcheson said. "It put a vision in front of everybody."
A plaque will be installed on the pergola in the Nelson's honor.
Initially, the idea was to create a large rose garden to complement the city's historic moniker from the 1920s through the 1950s, as the "City of Roses and Sparkling Spring Water." However, after Rose Rosette Disease killed many of the roses at the Tulsa Rose Garden at Woodward Park, a decision was made to add a variety of trees, plants, and flowers in addition to the roses.
"Sometimes great things take time," and "Sharon Atcheson and KBAB Vice Chair Beverly Forester have been tenacious in ensuing we stayed on track to get this project done," City Manager Michael Spurgeon said.
Vice Mayor Johnnie Parks agreed saying, "They kept the vision alive. They never let up."
The City Manager also expressed appreciation for the Broken Arrow voters who overwhelmingly approved the 2018 General Obligation Bond Package, which included $500,000 for creating a rose garden at Central Park.
"Quality of Life projects, such as The Gardens at Central Park, are made possible by individuals dedicated to making Broken Arrow the best it can be," Spurgeon said. "The Keep Broken Arrow Beautiful organization had a vision to create a tranquil space for contemplation and reflection. The voters embraced that vision and approved the funding to make the garden a reality. And the City's Engineering and Construction Department, landscape architect R.L. Shears, and contractor Motown Outdoors worked together to bring that vision to life."
The Gardens of Central Park is a 33,000-square-foot destination garden with open grassy areas and native plants to attract pollinators.
Plantings in the gardens include:
- Large Canopy Trees: Oaks, Maples, Ginkgoes, and Cypress.
- Ornamental Trees: Oklahoma Redbud, Holly, and Serviceberries.
- Feature plantings: Agastache, Asters, Butterfly Weed, Joe Pye Weed, Phlox, Bee Balm, Sunflower, Bell Flowers, Mexican Hat Plant, Rue, and Roses.
- Herbs: Ornamental Garlic, Chives, Basil, Oregano, Thyme, and Rosemary.
Architectural elements include a pergola, an entry plaza, and a water feature. The Gardens at Central Park are situated in a previously underutilized area of Central Park that was once home to the city’s softball fields before they moved to Arrowhead Park.
Visitors can stroll along the walkways to appreciate the gardens' beauty, enjoy the bubbling water's soothing sounds, explore the growing arboretum, and relax in the open grassy areas, perfect for picnics and play.
The total cost for the City of Broken Arrow to complete the Gardens at Central Park project is $532,000. Through their fundraising efforts, KBAB contributed $42,000 for the original landscape architectural design, the water feature, and the pergola. This grand opening celebration marks the beginning of what this beautiful and serene garden will become for generations.
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