SWAN LAKE FOUNTAIN

RESTORATION FUND

HISTORY

Swan Lake Park, located near 21^st Street and Utica Avenue in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is one of the first City of Tulsa parks, dating back to 1910 when Samuel Orcutt and W.P. Moore gave the park to the City.

Swan Lake was a destination spot for Tulsans even before it became a city park. In the early 1900’s it was a picnic spot for residents of Tulsa escaping the city during the heat of the summer. An amusement park was located on the north side of the lake. In the winter, people ice skated on the lake. The fountain was built in the 1920s and restored by the WPA in the 1930s. The City purchased the first swans for the lake in the 1930’s.

TODAY

In June 2005, an engineering and design study was commissioned by City of Tulsa to address the deterioration of Swan Lake and the historical fountain. The study found that the current fountain is beyond repair and that the lake needs a new aeration system to improve the quality of the water and assure that the water circulates to prevent mosquito nesting and outbreaks of diseases carried by mosquitoes. The study also recommended other improvements to the overlooks, lighting and landscaping.

THE RESTORATION PROJECT

The cost of a new fountain that retains the features of the historic fountain and a new aeration system is approximately $950,000. The City of Tulsa has stated that it does not have the funds to pay for the restoration of the historic fountain and the aeration system.

The cost of the other improvements and an endowment to provide for the cost of maintenance in the event that the City does not have the money to maintain the new fountain and aeration system is an additional $750,000.

The City designated the Tulsa Parks Department and a group of interested residents to pursue fund raising from private sources to implement the recommendations of the study.

FUND RAISING FOR THE PROJECT

To raise funds to implement the recommendations of the plan, the Committee is selling swan ornaments created by Garden Deva.

The small swans with ribbon are $20 and the garden stake swans are $25 and are available at the following stores in Tulsa:

Pare Gourmet 1441 S. Quaker

Grumpy’s Garden 1140 E. 15^th Street (west of Peoria)

La Donna’s Fancy

Foods 1523 E. 15^th Street

In Utica Square: Pengaro’s

Snow Goose

The Gadget Company

Tapestry of Faith 1130 E. 41^st Street (east of Peoria)

Stitches 5948 S. Lewis (London South)

Ribbons 3515 S. Peoria

Paper Chase 2610 S. Harvard

Garden Deva 317 S. Trenton

The Committee is also conducting a neighborhood drive to raise money from residents, applying for grants from local foundations, and conducting a city-wide campaign requesting the citizens of Tulsa to donate to restore this historic and beloved park to its original beauty.

THE 100^th BIRTHDAY OF SWAN LAKE PARK

The Committee’s goal is to raise the funds needed to restore the fountain and replace the aeration system and complete these initial projects by 2010 to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the Park. We need to raise the $950,000 to begin work on the project by late 2008 in order to complete the fountain and aeration system by 2010.

HELP US TO RESTORE SWAN LAKE PARK

Please help us save this part of Tulsa history and beautiful city park. Donations can be sent to:

Swan Lake Fountain Restoration Project

c/o Park Friends, Inc.

1710 Charles Page Blvd.

Tulsa, OK 74127

Park Friends Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation registered in the State of Oklahoma.