Oklahoma City Council has approved final improvement plans for Booker T. Washington Park, clearing the way for a $5.1 million overhaul of the century-old green space at N.E. 4th St. and N. High Ave. The renovation will bring four basketball courts, two tennis courts, three pickleball courts, a futsal court, a playground and a splash pad to the Northeast Side park, alongside shade structures, seating, artificial turf berms, a hammock and reading nook, and a plaza.
A Century-Old Anchor Gets A Modern Refresh
As reported by KOKH, the project is part of the first phase of neighborhood and community parks improvements under MAPS 4, and city officials describe it as a gathering space meant to serve residents of all ages. OKC Parks Director Melinda McMillan-Miller said the park's legacy and community importance will be enjoyed for years to come and that it will continue serving as a community gathering place. MAPS Program Manager David Todd called the park an important community anchor and gathering space, noting the improvements are intended for people of all ages.
The park's roots stretch back a full century: it was established in 1924 by the Oklahoma City Parks Commission as a designated neighborhood park for the city's African American community along Northeast 4th Street, according to the Clio Foundation. For decades, the park was also home to Page Stadium, the football field where the championship Frederick Douglass High School Trojans once played. The pool and recreation center later moved to nearby Foster and Douglass parks.
Exact Budget And A December Construction Start
According to the City of Oklahoma City, the project carries an exact budget of $5,134,560, funded through MAPS 4 alongside $650,000 from the city's 2017 general obligation bond, with construction scheduled to begin in December. Engineering and landscape architecture firm Kimley-Horn designed the park plans; the firm was also selected to design the overall Phase 1 parks master plan for the city, per the same city release.
MAPS 4 included dedicated funding for the park to transform its recreational areas for play, events and sports, per organizers cited by KOKH. The Booker T. Washington Park work sits within Phase 1 of the MAPS 4 Neighborhood and Community Parks program, a $20.5 million construction effort spanning 14 neighborhood parks and 5 community parks citywide, the city noted.
Part Of A Wider Northeast OKC Investment Wave
The park is near the Page Woodson development, which is adjacent to the renovated historic Douglass High School. In 2022, economic development leaders outlined plans for a future Phase V African American Commemorative Plaza to link the development to the park, according to the Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City. The park also hosts the annual oNE OKC community street festival on the Eastside, per the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber.
The approval follows years of public engagement, including a July 2023 public-input meeting. Proposed plans include a memorial and court layouts. Across Oklahoma City, the broader MAPS 4 Parks initiative totals $154 million, with $70.3 million earmarked to upgrade 105 neighborhood and community parks and $22.27 million set aside for specialized public space transformations.
More Northeast OKC Dollars In The Pipeline
MAPS 4 is also funding other nearby facilities, including $2.22 million for Northeast Park and $556,748 for Minnis Lakeview Park, establishing Booker T. Washington Park as one of several concurrent public investments in the area. The entire program is debt-free, financed by a temporary, eight-year, one-cent sales tax that Oklahoma City voters approved in December 2019 and which is projected to collect $1.07 billion through 2028.
MAPS 4 is also supporting the Woodson Park youth center, for which an operator has been selected. Together, that project and the Booker T. Washington Park plan reflect a sustained push to direct MAPS 4 dollars toward historically underfunded parks on the city's Eastside.
