A PARK GROWS IN TULSA
Courtesy The Helmerich Trust
A GATHERING PLACE – PART 7
Brothers Zak, Hans, Matthew, Jono and Rik Helmerich are trustees of The Helmerich Trust.
A legacy to stand on
The Helmerich Trust honors Walt Helmerich’s love of green spaces. Hans Helmerich, trustee of The Helmerich Trust and chairman of Helmerich & Payne Inc., remembers driving through the woods of fellow oilman B. B. Blair’s former estate — land that is now being transformed into A Gathering Place. With construction well underway on the iconic park, the scenery looks quite different now. That is thanks to donors such as the trust, which committed $5 million for the bridge over Peggy’s Pond. The water feature is named for another park donor, Peggy Stephenson. The bridge will connect the Williams Cos. Lodge and the Chapman Foundations’ Adventure Playground to the ONEOK Boathouse and QuikTrip Great Lawn. 32
TulsaPeople MARCH 2016
The Helmerich Trust’s donation to A Gathering Place is a project the family’s late patriarch, Walter Helmerich III, would have been proud to support. “Dad always had a huge affinity for making Tulsa a more livable city,” says Hans, who oversees the family’s trust with brothers Rik, Zak, Matthew and Jono. “He believed open spaces and park land were important pieces of that puzzle.” As for the late Blair, Hans thinks his friend would be excited about the park. “He loved Tulsa,” Hans says. “I think to know his property would become the hallmark of what Tulsa has to offer ... I think he would be pleased.” tþ
Rendering courtesy Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates
by MORGAN PHILLIPS