'Cry Baby Hill' Plaza To Open Ahead Of St. Francis Tulsa Tough Races

It was a rainy ribbon cutting for the new Cry Baby Hill Plaza Thursday, which is opening just in time for the St. Francis Tulsa Tough.

The park is located at Lawton and Riverside Drive and has several bicycle replicas that pay tribute to Tulsa Tough.

The intersection has become the site of a huge party every year, where people dress up in costumes and encourage the racers as they bicycle up the hill and the Cry Baby Hill Plaza will have an area set up to view the annual St. Francis Tulsa Tough competition as well as a rain garden.

6/12/2016 Related Story: Cry Baby Hill Serves As Grand Finale To Annual Tulsa Tough Cycling Races

The Riverview Neighborhood Association hosted a ribbon cutting Thursday to dedicate the park.

Cry Baby Hill Plaza has been in the works for three years and the group said it gives fans a new area to watch the most intense part of the race.

Neighborhood Association Vice President Sam Johnson said it cost nearly $100,000 to build it and a city beautification grant helped them pay for the park.

Johnson hopes it will bring attention to the whole neighborhood during the race.

"This is a historic neighborhood, a big event that brings people to our neighborhood and gives us a bit of visibility," Johnson said.

The neighborhood group is hosting a barbecue for Sunday's races to raise money to maintain the plaza. Tickets are $30. For more information, visit the RVNA website.