Wolf Creek Project Back on the Table

A Grove real estate broker, Jack L. Forrest, has issued a challenge to the government and citizens of Grove on the long-debated Wolf Creek Project. Forrest says he is "prepared to deliver $50,000,000 in development money for the Wolf Creek Lakefront Development Project" which will cover full expenses of the development, including land acquisition.
"The City of Grove will retain the benefits of a ground lease on that property that the City owns and/or is able to obtain from GRDA and have a perpetual stream of income from the ground lease, a brand-new City Park, free land for city buildings such as a new Civic Center, library, police department and YMCA," he said.
"This is a direct challenge to the opponents of a lakefront development in Grove and to the failed concept of a cow-pasture development east of town which is draining and will continue to drain the city's coffers and produce no economic benefit whatsoever to the city," he said.

City Manager Bill Galletly said the project would be a "fantastic opportunity for this community and we would undertake every effort to do it. I have never been opposed to the Wolf Creek Project but no one has ever submitted a plan or project to the city since I have been here," he added.
He said a 16th street bypass north of the city would enhance the plan, opening up more land for development, and he would work with GRDA, FERC and ODOT to help get it done.
Mayor Carolyn Nuckolls said she was "open to looking at anything or listening to anyone, on any project that would benefit Grove," while Councilors Dave Helms, Terry Ryan and Larry Parham said they were not opposed to the project.

In response to their statements, Forrest said Thursday that a "united city government" would be necessary to move the project forward, which is what has always held up the project in prior years.
"We have the expertise to get this project through the gauntlet of GRDA, FERC and DEQ provided the city is 100% behind it," he added.

Contrary to public opinion, Forrest did not originate the idea for the Wolf Creek Project.
It all started in 1982 with a study by the Benham Group of Tulsa. Forrest did not get involved in it until 1999 when there was talk of expanding the existing sewer plant at that time, which would have killed the project for good. A bond issue was later passed by a 3-1 margin to build a new plant at its present location.
The only obstacles to getting the project back on line now are approvals from FERC and 100% city backing, Forrest said.

Prior to 1999 there was talk of dredging both Carey Bay and Wolf Creek and connecting them with a canal, but the Carey Bay portion was abandoned as being too costly with too much dredging needed. Dredging of Wolf Creek is estimated to cost around $15 million, Forrest said, and the material would have to be replaced in another wetlands area anywhere in the U.S., at a ratio of five to one (five acres of replacement to one acre of dredge).
Core samples were taken in the 80's down to elevation 711 feet and the reports indicated "easily dredgable sandy or silty clay with two beds of weathered limestone at depths of 20 and 24 feet, or elevation 714.5 feet." Recommendations at that time were to dredge to elevation 725 feet.

A "dredging committee" of Grove residents met in February 1987 and reported that one member, Gaines Dittrich, "had met with the engineer, Holway, and said he would love to get back on this project. He is still very positive about the project."
Other members of the Dredging Committee listed were Harry Worley, Rick Rose, Forrest Penny, Tom Moore, Mike Lewandowski, Huber Logue, John Organ, Warren Brower, Stan Jones, Jim Davis, Pat Neely, Bernie Thompson and Gary Mallow. The committee addressed a lengthy list of major issues and an action plan.

The Wolf Creek plan envisioned a Grove Marina with residential property on the eastern shore and commercial property adjacent to downtown. Forrest sees it as an opportunity to create a waterfront community bigger than Branson's and comparable to the MAPS program in Oklahoma City which created Bricktown.
He says the project has been embroiled in local politics and has stalled due to a small group wanting growth on a cow-pasture east of the city.
"Without Grand Lake, Grove would be just another small town. Our energies should be directed at growth at Grove's front door, on Wolf Creek," Forrest said. "We are a lakefront community. Grand Lake is our biggest asset."
He sees this area as eventually the site of a new civic center, police station, library, parks, shops, entertainment, walking paths and more.

At one time the plan was supported by many of Grove's elected and civic minded citizens.
A complete packet of information was submitted by Forrest in May of 2000. The project had drawn support in an editorial in the Grove Sun Daily of Oct. 1999 and said "if fully developed would become a showcase area for Grove."
In June of 2000 the paper ran a photo and story featuring some of the supporters…Rick Littlefield, Jeff Lungren, Joe Hutchison, Doug Evans, Mike Lewandowski, Jack Forest, Stan Jones and Mayor Bob Nold. Additional volunteers for the project listed in a Letter to the Editor in the June 28, 2000 issue of the newspaper written by Forrest included J. T. Blevins, Janey Gray, Larry Koch, Mark Londagin, Don Patchett, Glenn Sharp, Gerald Stone and Dave Williams.
Mentioned in that letter as possible inclusions in the project were a new two-story civic center with a community auditorium; a new city park with activity areas, an expanded library, parking areas for shopping in the present downtown area, new commercial and parking space, and possibly a marina.
In yet another photo on July 16, 2000, community leaders met on the project, including Bill Miller, Ed Hamilton, Doug Evans, Jack Forrest, Jeff Lungren, Warren Brower and Don Read.
After the sewage plant was re-located, interest in the project waned and today we have a new Post Office and Library located east of town.

This week, the city filed legal notice for the salvage of the old sewer and water treatment plant, advising the proposed contractor to knock down the existing buildings, remove the non-masonry roof material for disposal to the county landfill, and push the rest of the masonry material into the contact basins, or basements. The floor slabs and underground concrete will be left in place, according to the legal notice. A pre-bid meeting is set for Dec. 20 at 10:30 a.m. Bids are to be in by Jan. 10 at 2 p.m.