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Improvements are coming to Bartlesville’s Jo Allyn Lowe Park. City Director of Engineering Micah Siemers says that crews are replacing soil on the south side of the lake that has eroded away over time. This project will improve the park longevity and add to its visual appeal as well.

Siemers said City Parks Department staff have also done some work trimming trees to raise and open up the canopy so that sod can be established. There a few unique issues that have caused some of the erosion as well.

Siemers explains the situation: "There is also generally a downward slope from the parking lot to the lake, as would be expected. The grass thins due to insufficient sunlight, and then when it rains on that slope, without a solid grass root system to hold the soil place, the topsoil washes away. Then the high density of foot traffic wears down what little grass is left, and next thing you know, it is bare dirt."

Approved by voters in the 2018 General Obligation Bond Election, the project is part of an overall effort to improve conditions at City parks, including erosion rehabilitation. The project started March 7 is expected to be done be early April at the latest.