Created by the George Kaiser Family Foundation, and designed by landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh, the park was established September 8, 2018.

A vision of the George Kaiser Family Foundation, Gathering Place was designed to be a vibrant and inclusive space, where diverse communities could come together to explore, learn and play.

Mack Scogin Merrill Elam architects designed the three major buildings at Gathering Place: Williams Lodge, ONEOK Boathouse and the restroom cabana.

[8] Gathering Place offers a wide variety of attractions for guests to explore free of charge, including 5 acres (2.0 ha) Chapman Adventure Playground, Williams Lodge, ONEOK Boathouse, QuikTrip Great Lawn, Energy Transfer Sports Courts, a BMX pump track and skate park, Peggy's Pond, as well as numerous gardens, pathways, and trails.

[10] The $47 million, 50,000 square foot Discovery Lab main building was designed to be a hands-on museum that would stimulate young children's interests in science and technology topics.

[13] In related work, the city is spending approximately $50 million to overhaul the adjacent Zink Dam in a renovation that is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023.

[15] The east bank of the river experienced relatively light damage, with water covering two of the five sports courts south of 31st Street.

Matt Meyer, executive director of the Tulsa River Parks Authority, told the press that the washout showed a need to install cable-concrete type bank reinforcement.