Photo: City of Tulsa
There's a new name for the Zink Lake whitewater recreational area in Tulsa that will open on Labor Day weekend. Tulsa Mayor GT Bynum says 'Tulsa Wave Park' will be one of the premier whitewater recreational attractions in the state. The park can accommodate kayakers, surfers and tubers.
Tulsans will soon get a chance to experience Zink Lake - a voter-approved $48 million amenity that will revolutionize the way people experience the Arkansas River near Gathering Place.
For decades, Tulsans had no safe access to the Arkansas River near the old pedestrian bridge, which in recent years fell into a state of disrepair. The old Zink Dam, which was located near the old pedestrian bridge, was constructed in 1982, with its gates becoming inoperable over time. For this reason, and with an opportunity to create a dam that would allow for recreational opportunities in the Arkansas River, the decision was made to create a new Zink Dam that paved the way for Zink Lake.
Following voter approval, the construction of Zink Dam and Zink Lake commenced in October 2020. Set to open concurrently, Zink Lake will open alongside the new pedestrian bridge, Williams Crossing, that was also approved by voters through the Vision Tulsa sales tax package.
Following opening weekend, the whitewater area will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day.