Turkey Mountain Petition

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Tulsa Urban Wilderness Coalition claims outlet mall could harm Turkey Mtn. wildlife, pollute water

The Tulsa Urban Coalition presented the petition Tuesday. Many comments and concerns were expressed; the main concern being tax money spent on the creation of the TIF district. Another large concern is the potential added traffic on the nearby narrow road.

Something to keep in mind about the Tulsa Urban Wilderness Coalition, for those not familiar with us, is who we really are.

In light of what caused us to go public — the proposal to build an outlet mall on Turkey Mountain’s west side — it might be easy to look at us as a protest group. And while we are concerned about the proposed mall, we are more than a protest group. So let me explain.

What we are is an advocacy group. We care about Turkey Mountain, as well as other wild places in the Tulsa area, and we have decided to do things that go toward celebrating and preserving those places. Places where families go to spend time together, children visit during field trips, and home to a summer camp.

That’s why we did a clean-up day — the most successful one to date — in mid-January, and will do more in the future. It’s why we are working with other stakeholders in Turkey Mountain, to make sure there is a voice for them on the area’s future. It’s why we have a virtual library of links to articles that tell of Turkey Mountain’s history as well as what is going on there now.

We plan to be here for the long haul. At some point, the mall issue will pass, but that does not mean we are going to fade away when that happens. Instead, the coalition intends to be around for a long time to keep educating the public on the importance of urban wilderness, to facilitate efforts in its preservation, and to give like-minded people a voice in how the community cares for this precious asset.

So there it is. You’ll hear our voice on the subject of the proposed mall. But you’ll see us in action on so many other things related to the Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness — now and in the future.

Uninformed comments

Blah blah blah. ANYONE who has followed this story knows the land is privately owned. Kaiser did indeed buy a large amount of land between the Riverparks land and the proposed mall site and intends to keep it wild. Putting this mall next door to existing wild area, as well as paving 60 acres of wild area is devastating to this wilderness. And the mention of congestion?? This mall brings with it the worst traffic problems the sity has ever seen. Already, thousands of commuters bypass Tulsa Hills and speed down 61st Street and Elwood. Throw in this outlet mall and the two lane bridge over HWY 75, and this will be a major bottle-neck. This is a very sensitive issue to me, as I live in the neighborhood just west of the Turkey Mountain parking lot, and have to deal with traffic that has tripled since Tulsa Hills was built..

The Snake Run has long been a staple on Turkey Mountain and 2015 is no exception! This year TZ Trail Runs will be donating a portion of the proceeds to the TUWC! This Race is held on the Pink Trail atop Turkey mountain and the beauty of it is you can run as little as 4 miles or as many as you can fit in during the time limit!

Special for 2015 you can run the 8:30 Great Plains 10K and then come run a 3 hour Snake Run! Road and Trail Miles!! How awesome is that?

To learn more about the Snake Run visit www.tztrailruns.com