Source: City of Broken Arrow
The City of Broken Arrow heard from 3,509 Parks and Recreation Micro-Survey respondents over three weeks, from March 10 to 31, 2025. The survey results were discussed as an agenda item at the Broken Arrow City Council meeting on April 15.
“All of this information will be very useful as we move toward the 2026 bond,” said Parks and Recreation Director Matt Hendren. “I think there are some opportunities we need to work through as far as funding some of these improvements at our sports complexes.”
The Parks and Recreation survey focused on four possible improvements to Broken Arrow’s Parks and Recreation facilities.
- A community center in south Broken Arrow
- The Elam Park Master Plan
- Expansion of the trail system
- Parks and recreation amenities
The survey also examined five different amenities that could be offered at a new community center and asked respondents to prioritize each one according to their preferences.
- An indoor walking track received 63 percent support.
- Flexible multi-purpose spaces received 58 percent support.
- An indoor recreational swimming pool received 56 percent support.
- A multi-court gymnasium received 41 percent support.
- Esports gaming space received 16 percent support.
When the survey respondents were told an indoor swimming pool would cost an estimated $20 million, the majority – 62 percent – said they would prefer the money to be spent on other amenities, whether at Elam Park or around the city within the Parks and Recreation Department.
Regarding Elam Park amenities, the survey said exercise stations and trails were most important, at 73 percent, park pavilions at 70 percent, and a splash pad at 69 percent, respectively.
Other options included:
- Tennis and pickleball courts, 55 percent.
- Various types of gardens, 54 percent.
- Basketball and futsal courts, 45 percent.
- Synthetic turf and entertainment space, 45 percent.
- Sand volleyball courts, 30 percent.
- 18-hole disc golf course, 27 percent.
- Skate park, 26 percent.
The survey also asked about the city’s trail system and where people want to see expansion. The top three areas were the Rose District at 63 percent, NSU-BA and Events Park at 51 percent, and Central Park at 50 percent.
Other potential projects scored lower percentages, such as new outdoor pickleball courts at 35 percent, a new dog park in northeast Broken Arrow at 31 percent, more turf soccer fields at Indian Springs Sports Complex (ISSC) at 30 percent, youth turf baseball infields at ISSC at 28 percent, youth turf softball infields at Arrowhead Softball Complex at 27 percent, adult turf softball infields at ISSC at 23 percent, and additional sand volleyball courts at Nienhuis Park received 15 percent support.
“I think there are ways we can be innovative with how we accomplish getting something on everybody’s wish list even though the funding is limited,” Hendren said.
Director of Communications and Media Relations Aaron McColloch pointed out that the survey percentages vary depending on where the amenity is being considered.
“Pickleball courts, for example. In this question [other amenities], it is at 35 percent, whereas, if you go back to Elam Park, pickleball ranked higher at 55 percent,” McColloch said. “So, there is a bit of a range and variance for where they want to see those added.”
Micro-surveys are one way the city is gaining citizen input and gathering data to guide the project selection process ahead of the upcoming General Obligation Bond Election in April 2026.
To view the Parks and Recreation Survey results in their entirety, as well as the results of the Pedestrian Connectivity Survey, the Roadway Improvement Survey, and the 2024 Citizen Survey, go to Community Surveys.
A public safety micro-survey in May will be the next opportunity for people to weigh in on police, fire, and emergency management administration.
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