A new rose garden is coming to Central Park, 1500 S. Main St., in keeping with "The City of Roses" moniker dating back to the early 1900s.  

On July 31, the City Council approved a Master Plan for the Central Park Rose Garden and an agreement for professional consulting services with landscape architect R.L. Shears Company, P.C.  

City staff and R.L. Shears are working with Keep Broken Arrow Beautiful (KBAB) to develop a plan that fits with the vision for the project and remains within budget.  

“We expect to have four large gardens, an entry plaza, entry signage, a pergola, benches, and walking trails around the gardens,” said Special Projects Division Manager Charlie Bright.  

He says they are starting the Phase 1 design process now but cautions the design specifics could change as they progress and get better cost estimates.  

In 2018, Broken Arrow voters approved a General Obligation Bond, which included $500,000 for a new rose garden.  

City Manager Michael Spurgeon says it's a blessing that the voters approved the funding for this type of initiative.  

"Sometimes, we may not think about the importance of passive recreation," he said. "To be able to have this garden in our community for people to be able to go and reflect and enjoy the amenities, it touches my heart."  

Last fall, the City Council voted to award a Professional Consulting Agreement with the R.L. Shears Company to prepare a Conceptual Design and a Master Plan for the new park.  

Spurgeon credits KBAB as the visionaries for the Central Park Rose Garden project.  

"The folks at KBAB have been amazing to work with," Spurgeon said. "I've worked with Beverly Forester and Sharon Atcheson for many, many years, and they are the main drivers behind this project."  

The City Manager is pleased the City Council is supportive of both Phase 1 and the Master Plan so that the consultant can start the design and get the project out to bid very soon.   

It will be in an area of the park that used to be softball fields before they were moved to Arrowhead Park.  

"That's a huge area that's been underutilized," he said. "If you think about the reuse of an existing space, this meets that definition. To have that kind of improvement there that people can come and enjoy and reflect. It's a win-win for everybody."