The City of Oklahoma City has installed a new plaque to commemorate the efforts and memory of late Ward 2 Councilman Sam Bowman, a figure widely remembered for his dedication to community development and enhancing public safety. The plaque, now standing at Swatek Park, serves as a tribute to Bowman’s tireless advocacy for neighborhood development and his contributions to making the city’s neighborhoods more walkable and accessible, as reported by the City of Oklahoma City.
Bowman, who passed away in 2021, was a steadfast servant to his community, starting as a resident of the Cleveland Neighborhood since 1970. His past roles included executive director of the Neighborhood Services Organization, and program officer at the Oklahoma Community Foundation, according to the City of Oklahoma City. These positions, no doubt, provided him with the insights and experience necessary to advocate for improvements in both, his official capacity and beyond.
In a statement obtained by the City of Oklahoma City, current Ward 2 Councilperson James Cooper praised Bowman’s vision and contributions, especially highlighting his role in creating OKC’s first sidewalk master plan. “When I’ve knocked doors during council elections, a majority of Ward 2 voters advocated making neighborhoods more walkable and accessible so students, workers and seniors can navigate their city safely – regardless how they move. Unfortunately, OKC’s government let walkable neighborhoods become an ignored priority when – since WW II – we stopped building sidewalks until my predecessor, the late Sam Bowman, championed creating OKC’s first sidewalk master plan,” Cooper said…