WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.839 --> 00:00:04.879 Good morning, good morning, good morning, and welcome, welcome, welcome 2 00:00:04.919 --> 00:00:08.119 at the time now for community connection right here on Kay one. The one 3 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:12.679 you trust and no stranger to our show is that Ken Stroman and Ken you 4 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:17.280 always bring friends, yes always? Who do we have here today? Who's 5 00:00:17.320 --> 00:00:21.000 this fine looking gentleman here? Well, let me produce Ken Johnson, Bartlesville 6 00:00:21.079 --> 00:00:25.280 native, ye resident of Houston today. But Ken is a long time as 7 00:00:25.480 --> 00:00:30.039 has a long history with Kitty parka and he serves as the as the board 8 00:00:30.120 --> 00:00:33.920 chair or friends of the Kitty Park. All right, Well, we got 9 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:37.079 a lot going on with Kitty Park, like a kind of almost like a 10 00:00:37.119 --> 00:00:40.079 rebamp here. Bean. We've been around a long time, but we're getting 11 00:00:40.079 --> 00:00:42.600 more than just a fresh code of paint, aren't we. That's correct. 12 00:00:43.359 --> 00:00:49.520 This will be our seventy sixth year and operation, and we are completely trying 13 00:00:49.560 --> 00:00:54.159 to refurbish the park. We're looking at everything we do there at the park 14 00:00:55.039 --> 00:00:59.520 from the rides, make sure everything is up and running and I can save 15 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:06.439 for this year. Every ride is running for a change, even the even 16 00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:11.480 the Avenger ride that has been down for four or five years. We totally 17 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:21.280 rebuilt that over the winter. Wayne Clark and Randy Inlo was there daily working 18 00:01:21.319 --> 00:01:25.000 on that ride, and we've got it up and running again. The chariots 19 00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:29.079 are running, and we're going to add a new ride this year. We 20 00:01:29.159 --> 00:01:34.640 actually had a donation, so we're adding a new roller coaster this year. 21 00:01:34.680 --> 00:01:40.480 Hopefully it'll be in operation this year, but we're working on that. Okay, 22 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:42.799 we've got that going out, understand but we've got a little bit extra 23 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:48.719 land to work with too. Absolutely, we were able to negotiate a new 24 00:01:48.760 --> 00:01:53.519 long term lease with the city to make sure we're around for many years to 25 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:57.000 come. And also we were able to get the land just north of the 26 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:01.799 current park, so that's where we are going to be putting the new roller 27 00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:07.000 coaster and some additional rides as we go on farther down the road. Now 28 00:02:07.360 --> 00:02:12.280 we're going with generic additional rides right now. We're not going to get into 29 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:16.120 specifics, are we not. Right now, we do. We did name 30 00:02:16.360 --> 00:02:22.240 that the new roller coaster. It is called the Dragon Coaster. It's a 31 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:25.560 it's a kiddie ride still, but it is big enough for the parents to 32 00:02:25.680 --> 00:02:30.280 ride with their children as well. So that's what we're trying to add to 33 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:35.879 that section of the park. What we call family friendly rides, something that's 34 00:02:35.919 --> 00:02:42.879 still in the Kittie Park theme but is still big enough that some older kids 35 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:45.639 and the parents will be able to ride with them. I understand we've been 36 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:49.879 working on the boats and things. Absolutely, I'm glad you ask about that. 37 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:54.159 We had a generous donation. We tore out the old boat pool. 38 00:02:54.479 --> 00:02:59.719 We've got the new boat pool put in now. We still need to put 39 00:02:59.719 --> 00:03:02.719 the leable tech, which is the coding on it. That should happen this 40 00:03:02.759 --> 00:03:08.000 week. We put new rod iron fencing around it last night or yesterday actually, 41 00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:14.080 and it is ready to rock and roll. Wow. You know you 42 00:03:14.120 --> 00:03:17.240 had the nice little downtown cookout a few weeks ago. One of our young 43 00:03:17.319 --> 00:03:21.280 reporters game down. He says, they're really nice people. They gave me 44 00:03:21.319 --> 00:03:24.199 a hamburger and everything. Welcome to Bartlesfeld. Kind of happens that way. 45 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:30.280 But Kitty Park is even a lot more special here because this has so many 46 00:03:30.280 --> 00:03:32.599 different connection points with so many different people. Whether you've been here a few 47 00:03:32.680 --> 00:03:38.680 years or maybe many generations. It's touched a lot of generations, right. 48 00:03:38.520 --> 00:03:45.080 You know. One of the things that we pride ourselves on is family entertainment. 49 00:03:45.159 --> 00:03:46.879 You know, at a low cost, so we try to keep everything 50 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:52.960 down. We are a nonprofit organization, we're independent, we're autonomous with the 51 00:03:53.080 --> 00:03:58.520 city, so we don't get any funding from the city whatsoever. So we've 52 00:03:58.560 --> 00:04:02.080 survived on uh, what we take in from the rides in the concession and 53 00:04:02.199 --> 00:04:06.800 generous donations from the public to help us keep the cost low. Well, 54 00:04:06.840 --> 00:04:10.759 that is great, that is great. Speaking across, what's the cost per 55 00:04:10.840 --> 00:04:15.600 ride, it's seventy five cents. Uh, every every ride is seventy five 56 00:04:15.639 --> 00:04:19.959 cents, with the exception of the miniature golf and that's two tickets, so 57 00:04:20.040 --> 00:04:25.120 it'd be a dollar fifty for the nine holes amendatry Golf and then there's one 58 00:04:25.160 --> 00:04:29.680 other exception. Yeah, the last train ride of the night is always free. 59 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:32.800 Ring the bell kids that it's gonna be a lot of fun. You 60 00:04:32.839 --> 00:04:39.839 mentioned bell speak speaking of bell um. Several years ago, the bells were 61 00:04:39.879 --> 00:04:46.560 removed from the boats. When we were cleaning out the some of the storage 62 00:04:46.600 --> 00:04:51.800 there, we found one of the old bells of the boats. So we 63 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:59.079 went down Tulsa to accu cast and Tom Frey down in Telsa and he recast 64 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:03.040 all of the bells for us for the boats. So this year the bells 65 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:09.079 will be back on the boats. Nice touch, hey Ken. One of 66 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:13.120 the questions that I get when people hear about the new roller coach, they 67 00:05:13.319 --> 00:05:15.720 no, you're not going to take out the Little Dipper, are you? 68 00:05:15.959 --> 00:05:20.240 Absolutely not. We're adding to the park, we're not taking away. So 69 00:05:20.519 --> 00:05:25.240 one of the things about the park is nostalgia, you know it is. 70 00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:30.439 It's one of the very few older amusement parks around that has some of the 71 00:05:30.439 --> 00:05:35.279 older rides. We are planning on keeping all those, keeping them running and 72 00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:40.240 letting everybody have a good time. Well, that's great, this is really 73 00:05:40.279 --> 00:05:43.199 something else. Now. If folks want to help out in other ways, 74 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:46.480 we already have that very nice, sizeable couple of contributions earlier this year, 75 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:49.720 I think maybe late last year. But if folks you know that you've got 76 00:05:49.800 --> 00:05:54.199 a couple of thousand dollars just sitting in your wallet you don't know what to 77 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:57.519 do with them, you can invest in Kiddy Park, can't you. Absolutely? 78 00:05:57.680 --> 00:06:00.920 Absolutely. We're always looking for for some help. You could go to 79 00:06:00.920 --> 00:06:06.959 our website at www dot Kitty Park dot net and there's a place for a 80 00:06:08.040 --> 00:06:14.199 donation on there, or you can contact there our Facebook page and just send 81 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:17.519 us a chat and we'll be happy to get in touch with you very good. 82 00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:21.240 Now, can other organizations partner with Kitty Park, you know, like 83 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:27.879 see like have a special day there? Yeah, we have, Actually we 84 00:06:28.120 --> 00:06:32.360 do have special events. H one. I'll really well. Opening day is 85 00:06:32.439 --> 00:06:36.279 May fifth, okay, and we'll be open from six thirty to nine o'clock 86 00:06:38.199 --> 00:06:41.240 two and a half weeks from Yeah, and we'll be open on We'll be 87 00:06:41.279 --> 00:06:45.079 open on Fridays and Saturdays until school's out, and then when school's out, 88 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:50.839 we will open Tuesday through Saturday. However, for the very first time, 89 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:56.680 on May twenty second, we're having a special needs night for the kids. 90 00:06:57.199 --> 00:07:01.120 It's not open to the general public. It's open to families with special needs. 91 00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:04.879 That's on a Monday night. If it's not open, that's not one 92 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:09.160 of the days we're normally open, but this is the first one we're having. 93 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:15.240 We think that every child in the city of the Bartlesville and the surrounding 94 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:19.879 community should have an opportunity to enjoy the park, so we're we're opening that 95 00:07:20.120 --> 00:07:27.199 up for special needs kids and families on May twenty second, from six to 96 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:30.600 eight o'clock. We're not open full time then, but bring your kids out, 97 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:33.360 it'll be a lot slower paced, they won't have to worry about you 98 00:07:33.399 --> 00:07:39.199 know, standing in lines, long lines with everybody else. Is for them 99 00:07:39.319 --> 00:07:43.319 to enjoy the park, that is really special. I knew that that was 100 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:46.079 one of the things that we're gon we're gonna say special attention to, and 101 00:07:46.120 --> 00:07:49.959 I'm glad we're doing that. Well, Tom, I gotta tell you that 102 00:07:50.519 --> 00:07:58.439 Ken has just a huge heart for people with different needs. And in fact, 103 00:07:58.519 --> 00:08:01.360 Ken talked a little bit about one of the areas of focus as we're 104 00:08:01.399 --> 00:08:07.199 revamping and adding rides. Well, actually, this afternoon, I have a 105 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:13.079 focus group of moms with special need children that are coming down and we're going 106 00:08:13.120 --> 00:08:16.639 to walk the park with myself and Wayne Clark, the park manager, and 107 00:08:16.680 --> 00:08:20.560 we're going to go through and get a perspective from the parents' eyes. You 108 00:08:20.600 --> 00:08:26.639 know, what do they see as a danger to their kid? What can 109 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:31.799 we do at the park to help the special need children enjoy the park, 110 00:08:33.159 --> 00:08:39.120 you know, be wider gates, slower rides, whatever we can do to 111 00:08:39.159 --> 00:08:43.320 help these children enjoy the park. We're going to start focusing on that. 112 00:08:43.639 --> 00:08:48.480 Now. We won't have everything done overnight, obviously, but we will then 113 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:54.639 build us a list that we can go through and start knocking things off to 114 00:08:54.720 --> 00:08:58.840 improve the park for some of the special needs kids. Well that's great. 115 00:09:00.159 --> 00:09:03.080 You know. Well, Ken, you've shared a story really practical with one 116 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:09.799 of the rides, a child who watched his brother ride and he hasn't been 117 00:09:09.799 --> 00:09:13.519 able. Do you mind sharing some of that. Well, when I was 118 00:09:13.559 --> 00:09:18.679 down to the park to start with, I live in Houston, was born 119 00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:24.039 and raised in Bartlesville, but I live in Houston. A couple of years 120 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:28.360 ago they asked me to come back and help on the board, to have 121 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:31.679 a fresh set of eyes of what's going on there at the park. And 122 00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:35.960 so I come up every once in a while when the park's open and watch. 123 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:43.200 And one thing I saw one night was I saw a child in a 124 00:09:43.240 --> 00:09:50.960 wheelchair watching his brother ride the roller coaster and just mama, want to ride, 125 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:58.200 Mama want to ride. We didn't have what the mother would consider a 126 00:09:58.279 --> 00:10:03.399 safety restraint or what her to be able to put their child on the ride. 127 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:07.320 She was afraid that they would fly out or stand up for whatever. 128 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:13.279 So we're looking at some harness type things that will not restrict the child but 129 00:10:13.399 --> 00:10:18.639 just ensure their safety. That's great, that's gonna you know that's gonna be 130 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:22.960 a big important point to be brought up with another thing I think it's really 131 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:26.600 important that it's easy to overlook, and that is the youth development aspect of 132 00:10:26.919 --> 00:10:31.000 Kitty Park, which frankly is a big part of your story. Yeah, 133 00:10:31.080 --> 00:10:35.200 I've got I've got like a four pronged approach with a Kitty Park. I 134 00:10:35.240 --> 00:10:37.840 started into Kitty Park when I was fourteen years old, running the rides. 135 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:46.720 After a couple of years, I guess, for whatever reason, they decided 136 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:52.240 to let me be assistant manager down there when I was, I guess a 137 00:10:52.360 --> 00:10:56.080 senior in high school. Yeah, I was a senior in high school, 138 00:10:56.080 --> 00:10:58.919 and a couple of years after when I was in college, come back running 139 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:05.399 park. So that was riding the rides when I was young, starting when 140 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:09.559 I was fourteen, managing the park, helping manage the park when I was 141 00:11:09.720 --> 00:11:16.679 a teenager, and then coming back on the board now. So yeah, 142 00:11:16.720 --> 00:11:24.360 and we're gonna have some other special events during the year here other than Special 143 00:11:24.440 --> 00:11:28.600 Needs Night. On UM June tenth, we have First Responders That's always been 144 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:33.279 a big night. It's always been a big night for us. July eighth, 145 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:39.360 we have Veterans Night and then in August, we haven't fig finalized that 146 00:11:39.480 --> 00:11:43.639 date, but we're going to have an antique car show and uh oh, 147 00:11:43.720 --> 00:11:48.720 goodies night, old and old and goodies night for a DJ being out there 148 00:11:48.799 --> 00:11:52.120 playing some of the old hits and stuff, so it'll be it'll be a 149 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:56.440 fun night for everybody. And then we are still working on bringing some more 150 00:11:56.120 --> 00:12:01.360 entertainment in when we can to fit it in. Very good. Is there 151 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:03.679 anything we've missed, Well, there's a lot going on. Well, I'm 152 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:07.279 sure we've missed something. I'm sure we've missed something, and we'll be back, 153 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:09.679 right, we'll be back. You bet to be back because folks want 154 00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:13.840 to know more. Yeah, I'm up here a couple of times a month 155 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:18.840 trying to make sure everything's getting done. And we've got a great staff down 156 00:12:18.919 --> 00:12:24.279 there, great board that's working hard to get the park ready for everybody. 157 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:28.279 I want to thank you both for being a part of our show here today 158 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:31.320 on our community connection. Gentlemen, don't be strangers, all right, All 159 00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:33.960 right, We've got more coming up right now.