RiverParks Keeps Getting Better

Things are rolling on the river.  Two miles of recreational trails have been widened and improved.  Two more are in the works.  And, The News On 6's Steve Berg reports QuikTrip has started on a new park at 41st Street.

The RiverParks Authority had their board meeting on Thursday morning.  As with any project, there are growing pains.  But, they say the trails are on the right track. A lot has been added along the new stretch of running trail.  But, some are concerned about what's missing, the chat or gravel path that used to be here.

"Everybody's worried about that out on the river, yeah," said runner Jack Wing.

Some runners like the gravel because it's easier on the joints, but Tulsa's leading running guru Jack Wing was at the meeting and says, don't worry, the chat will be back from 31^st Street to 71st Street.

"You're gonna have your running trail, and your separate biking trail, and next to the running trail is going to be the chat, which will be about 3 feet wide for chat for the runners out there.  And, so it's gonna be great when they finish it," said runner Jack Wing.

It's about two miles less chat than before, but Wing says the new asphalt has more spring to it than it used to.

"It's a new thing that SemGroup has developed, and so that's great for the runners.  It's not running on hard cement or anything like that," said Jack Wing.

Meanwhile, QuikTrip has moved quickly to make way for a brand new, and grand new park at 41st Street, with a new playground, upgraded restrooms, and abundant water features.

"Everything between a typical fountain like you'd think about to bubbler fountains to interactive fountains where the water comes up out of the ground and the kids can play in it and that sort of thing.  It'll be really neat," said QT CEO Chet Cadieux.

The stretch from 31st to 51st is very popular, so patience has stretched thin.

"But you know, it's only a temporary thing, and in October, it's all going to be opened up again, and it'll be ready, and we'll have all these extra things out there that we don't have right now, so it's going to be super to do all these things.  And, QuikTrip putting that park in there.  It's going to be awesome," said runner Jack Wing.