The Maps 4 Multipurpose Stadium received a significant boost on Tuesday as the OKC City Council officially approved the donation of land.
The donated land, spanning nine acres, is situated in the Shields and SE 3rd St. area.
The City is currently developing a plan to address the presence of the homeless population in the area.
Jaime Caves, from the Key to Home Partnership, explains that when there is a significant disruption, such as a construction project, they prioritize identifying individuals in encampments to provide them with housing.
Downtown OKC is soon to be enhanced by the addition of a state-of-the-art multipurpose stadium.
“We are thrilled to reach this stage of the project and eager to begin construction. We are even more excited about completing it,” expressed David Todd, Maps Program Manager.
A business located near nine acres of land has been closely monitoring the developments happening next door.
Rachel Speer, from Silos Climbing, Yoga and Fitness, expressed her enthusiasm about the increased number of active individuals visiting the area. She acknowledged the potential challenges posed by the ongoing construction, such as navigating through heavy traffic, but remained hopeful that people would still make the effort to come down and enjoy climbing.
According to Todd, that shouldn’t be a problem.
According to Todd, the impact of the construction project on the currently open roads is expected to be minimal. He mentioned that the project is located far back in the property, allowing ample space for staging and lay down. Therefore, Todd does not anticipate any significant disruptions, except for a slight increase in traffic.
For years, the area has been grappling with a dilemma – the presence of homeless people and encampments.
Caves has a program in place that is ready to assist.
The program is known as the Encampment Rehousing Initiative, according to Caves. They actively venture into camps, providing outreach and support services to individuals, and then proceed to actively engage with them.
According to her, once they initiate the process, it typically takes about four to six weeks to find suitable housing for them.
According to Caves, they have closed down more than 20 locations in the previous year. Moreover, they have successfully provided housing for over 300 individuals through the in-camera rehousing initiative.
Caves assures that there will be ample time and space to relocate everyone, as construction is projected to commence in the middle of 2025.
Caves emphasized the importance of having a system that can handle the current numbers.
According to Todd, the design plans are currently being finalized and will be sent out for bids in the early part of next year.
