Founders' Plaza at Stiles Park

"Giving the green light to city's Beacon of Hope"

2005-11-03T10:50:00.000-08:00

The Oklahoman, November 3, 2005, Page 1

by Jim Killackey, Staff Writer

Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

Oklahoma City's newest and most illuminating landmark came to life at
7 p.m. Wednesday when a 100-foot tall, monolithic sculpture beamed a powerful green light upward more than a mile into the night sky.

A switch flipped on the distinctive Beacon of Hope after more than 150 community leaders counted down from 10 then joyfully gazed at the monument to five founders of the Oklahoma Health Center northeast of downtown.

"This is a modern symbol that we're a modern city," local architect Rand Elliot said of the massive white cylinder designed to be a gateway to the 300-acre medical complex.

The beacon, Elliot said, symbolizes a "sense of energy" as it "lights the way to an ever-brighter future" for Oklahoma City. Elliott was the Beacon of Hope's lead designer.

More at the link http://newsok.com/article/1664809/?template=home/main

Beacon of Hope statistics

2005-11-03T09:09:00.000-08:00

Where: Founders Plaza at Stiles Park, NE 8th and Stiles, northeast of downtown Oklahoma City, east of the Centennial Expressway

Cost: $500,000, from private donations

Height: 100 feet

Diameter: 8 feet

Weight: 19,000 pounds

Beacon color: White

Beam color: Green

Beam strength: 1 billion candle power

Beam altitude: 5,498 feet, more than one mile

Time it will be lit: 365 days a year from about dusk to midnight or 2 a.m.

Completion time: 4 years

Dedication Press Release

2005-10-25T10:49:00.000-07:00

October 25, 2005

For Immediate Release
Contact: Terri Folks, PR Consultant, Oklahoma Health Center Foundation
(405) 340-6912
Cell (405) 760-8229
email trfolks@cox.net
Press release, photos and artwork available electronically

Oklahoma City’s newest and oldest park
Founders Plaza at Stiles Park to Light Beacon of Hope November 2

A four-year-long project has come to a close. On Wednesday, November 2, the Oklahoma Health Center will celebrate the Oklahoma’s City newest attraction – Founders Plaza at Stiles Park featuring the Beacon of Hope. Fund-raising efforts began in 2002 to build a landmark sculpture unique to Oklahoma City and welcoming visitors to the Oklahoma Health Center. Located at 8th Street and Stiles, the park was designed by renowned architect, Rand Elliott of Elliott and Associates Architects.

Founders Plaza is a tribute to the five founders of the Oklahoma Health Center--Harvey P. Everest, E.K. Gaylord, Dean A. McGee, Dr. Don O’Donoghue and Stanton L. Young and 20 committee members who traveled to Houston in 1965 to visit the Texas Medical Center. Inspired and determined to create a world-class medical center, the Oklahoma Health Center emerged and has led the nation in scientific medical innovations.

Stiles Park is the oldest park in the Oklahoma Territory, first dedicated Aug. 29, 1901. Named after an early peacemaker, Captain Daniel Frazier Stiles, this unique 200-foot circular park remains a community focal point.

A 100 foot by eight foot sculpture, the centerpiece attraction of the new park is the Beacon of Hope. During the daylight hours, the Beacon is a monolithic sculpture. At night, the Beacon comes to life shining a green healing light of hope into the night sky. Other elements of the park include five stone rings and five flowering trees recognizing the five original visionaries. Twenty perimeter trees acknowledge the committee that supported the effort. One large oak tree that has survived the ages still stands to help those who visit remember the original history of the park.

A brief ceremony will be held at approximately 6:45 p.m. for the official lighting of the Beacon and grand opening of the park. Local dignitaries will be speaking at the presentation and Stanton L. Young, the only remaining surviving Oklahoma Health Center founder, will “light” the Beacon for all to enjoy.

Founders Plaza is a project of the Oklahoma Centennial Commission along with many generous donors. For more information, call the Oklahoma Health Center Foundation at (405) 271-2200.

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Dedication invitation!

2005-09-27T08:11:00.000-07:00

You are invited to a celebration of the
40th anniversary of the founding of the Oklahoma Health Center
The Grand Opening of Founders Plaza at Stiles Park
featuring the Beacon of Hope

Come help us LIGHT up Oklahoma City’s night sky!

Wednesday, November 2, 2005
5-5:45 p.m. Reception
5:45-6:30 p.m. Barbecue Dinner
6:45 p.m. Ceremony and Lighting of the Beacon of Hope

PARKING:
Parking is available at the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. Please enter from 10th Street onto Stiles Avenue. Stiles Circle will be closed to traffic for the event. Please click HERE for map.

Please RSVP to the Oklahoma Health Center Foundation (405) 271-2200 by Wednesday, October 26th.

More Dedication Details

2005-08-19T07:19:00.000-07:00

The dedication of the Founders' Plaza at Stiles Park has been scheduled for Wednesday, November 2, 2005, at 5 p.m. Plans have not yet been finalized, but we will have a chuckwagon feed (in keeping with the Park's territorial ties) on the lawn of the Department of Commerce directly east of the Park, followed by a brief ceremony and the inaugural lighting of the Beacon of Hope.

We will be sending out invitations later this fall. We hope to see you then!

The date has been set!

2005-08-09T13:44:00.000-07:00

The dedication of Founders' Plaza at Stiles Park and the inaugural lighting of the Beacon of Hope will be held on Wednesday, November 2, 2005, at 6:30 p.m. at Stiles Park, Northeast 8th and Stiles Avenue.

We will post further information as we approach the date.

Testing the Beacon of Hope

2005-07-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

The Beacon of Hope was lit for a test on Monday, July 18.

Our thanks to Board member Mike Joseph for furnishing us with these photos.

Beacon of Hope Installation

2005-06-17T13:49:00.000-07:00

The Beacon of Hope was installed on Thursday, June 16.

Here's the truck at 8th & Lincoln:

Through the intersection onto 8th Street:

Approaching Stiles Park:

Parked at the site--it's huge!

Hershel and his Beacon:

You've probably noticed that the Beacon isn't painted. It was decided that it would be better to paint it on site rather than at the manufacturer's because of the chance of ruining the finish. As you'll soon see, that was the right decision.

Shots from our little ceremony:

James Pickel saying a few words:

Rand Elliott doing the same:

From l to r: James Pickel, Greg Main, Executive Director, i2E, and Hershel Lamirand.

From l to r: Dr. Ron Gilcher, President and CEO, Oklahoma Blood Institute, Doug Cummings, President, Cummings Oil Company and OHCF Board member, and Stanton L. Young.

From l to r: Blake Wade, Executive Director, Oklahoma Centennial Commission, Rand Elliott, Elliott + Associates (designer of the Beacon of Hope), Lee Allen Smith, Oklahoma Centennial Commission, James Pickel, Smith and Pickel Construction, Stanton L. Young, Oklahoma City businessman and one of the OHC's five founders.

As you've probably read, there were some logistical problems in getting the Beacon installed. It took three tries, but with the third one at 5:30 p.m. that evening, we finally had lift off!

Here we go:

Up, up and away . . . .

It looked soooo easy . . . .

Once it was vertical, it had to be turned so that the cut was positioned properly:

Rand was there to make sure it was perfect:

Here's a close-up of the bar that was used to lift it:

Almost there . . . .

Some final shimming to get it level . . . .

They flew up a guy to take down the straps!

SUCCESS!!!

And two photos to complete the day:
Rand and Hershel

Terri and Hershel

We were tired and sunburned, but very, very happy! The Beacon of Hope will be truly magnificent once it is completed.

Congratulations to Rand and his staff, Pickel and his crew, Boardman and their crew, and especially to Bond Builders for doing such a great job with the installation.