Visitors entering Kingfi sher on U.S. 81 from the north will soon be greeted by a colorful welcome.

After three years of planning, led by the Kingfisher Tree Board in collaboration with Kingfi sher Trails and the city of Kingfi sher, work has begun on a north entrance park constructed on the pie-shaped tract of land just south of Double D’s convenience store.

A concrete, stucco and stone welcome sign, constructed in a low, wide monument style, will be the most visually prominent feature of the park, but the most symbolic element likely will be an American Elm seedling.

The seedling is one of the progeny of the 90-year-old elm tree that withstood the 1995 bomb blast at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and remains in its original location on the grounds of the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum in Oklahoma City.

“The tree board collected the seedling a couple years ago on the anniversary of the bombing with this project in mind,” Tree Board President Brian Walter said.

Board member Elise Morrow has been tending the tree in her own yard until its recent move to the site of the coming welcome center.

The tree has particular significance for Kingfi sher because Steve Williams, local native and Kingfisher High School graduate, was among those killed in the bombing, Walter said.

Other trees soon to be planted at the site include a number of redbuds and other landscaping will be added as the project progresses.

The sign itself is “designed to complement the south entrance sign without being an exact replica,” and will feature an image of the Oklahoma-shaped sign with its three grains of wheat encircled by a belt, Walter said.

The Tree Board commissioned the park’s design from CLS & Associates and has done most of the planning. The board also is providing, planting and irrigating the trees, with fi nancial help from the Walmart Foundation.

The city of Kingfi sher allocated $25,000 in funding and Kingfi sher Trails cleaned up the site and installed new concrete sidewalks and parking, with fi - nancial help from the Oklahoma Tourism Department.

The Tree Board is working to raise the final $25,000 to cover construction of the sign itself and finish out the site, Walter said.

“It’s really a neat example of the community coming together and working on it from a lot of different directions, with help from partners outside the community,” Walters said. “This is part of our overall goal to beautify Kingfi sher.”

He credited Mark Bays, an urban forester working for the state, with helping procure the Walmart Foundation grant, and Susan Henry of the Oklahoma Tourism Department for spearheading the efforts of her agency.

“Those kinds of relationships end up playing a big part,” Walter said.

The Tree Board is focused on meeting its final fundraising goal by March 1 and having the project completed by June 1, when a dedication ceremony will be held.

Other members of the Tree Board include Carolyn Flood, Elise Morrow, Neal Brown, Russell Hopkins, Chris Blair and Jeff Wilcox.

Kingfisher Trails members include John Gooden, Hopkins, Walter, Susannah Copeland and Cyndi Ice.

Walter said the Tree Board’s fundraising effort to complete the park is the third major campaign by members to fund beautifi cation projects through local donations.

The first two fi nanced tree plantings at the middle school and the golf course.

“This community has always been very generous and willing to get behind these efforts and we’re confi dent we’ll see that again,” he said.