Tulsa County officials, coaches and sports enthusiasts were all smiles Wednesday as they unveiled two newly-reconstructed baseball fields at O’Brien Park.
Tulsa County Commissioner Stan Sallee shared his enthusiasm that the redesigned space, dubbed Legion Fields, would allow more people to make memories at the park located at 6149 N. Lewis Ave.
“It’s a special day,” Sallee said at the ribbon cutting. “For many kids, baseball is their first introduction to team sports. It’s where they learn to show up, be a part of something bigger than themselves and rely on one another.”
The unveiling comes seven years after Bird Creek overflowed, flooding the Turley-based park.
“We didn’t just want to rebuild (these fields),” Sallee said. “We wanted to rebuild something that could serve the entire region. So we created this multi-functional investment.”
Initially, he said, the county could only afford to renovate the smaller fields after the May 2019 flooding.
That was until funding opened up from federal COVID-19 relief funds in the American Rescue Plan Act. The renovations — including elevating the two fields out of the low-lying floodplain, installing turf and removable mounds — cost over $3 million, the majority of which came from ARPA.
The park is home to the North Tulsa Baseball League, and Tulsa Public Schools teams utilize the fields. With the upgrades, softball can also be played there.
Sallee said he sees the renovations as an economic development investment: “Teams travel long distances and spend a lot of money. They want to make sure when it’s raining that they can still get their game in and with traditional dirt fields — a lot of the time — that’s just impossible with a lot of rain.”
The park was first opened in 1962 and later renamed for former County Commissioner Frank O’Brien. It’s 140 acres that includes a recreation center, community garden, walking trails, playgrounds and disc golf course.
Tulsa County Parks and Recreation Director Matt Hancock told The Eagle he believes investing in public parks plays an important role in helping communities thrive.
“There’s people who use O’Brien Park for walking, running, disc golf and to fish,” Hancock said. “I remember seeing barbecues and car shows at O’Brien Park (growing up). And those things are still happening here. To have these two fields, it’ll mean more people will have access to north Tulsa.”
