LITTLE ROCK — War Memorial Park's golf course would be left untouched under a $1.2 million plan endorsed Wednesday that adds walking trails, a recreational field and a small water park.
For five years, Little Rock residents and city officials have debated and dreamed about what to do with the 212 acres sandwiched between Interstate 630 and Markham Street in midtown.
A 2004 study recommended a $25 million face-lift with fountains and soccer fields. Last year, a consultant who took the city's budgets and residents' ambitions into consideration drew up three scenarios and price tags for the 84-year-old park's renovations. The 2004 plan and the latest study included suggestions to alter the 18-hole golf course.
The city's latest committee assigned to the park agreed Wednesday to support a smallscale upgrade.
"It puts to rest the issue, for now, of the golf course," said Truman Tolefree, Little Rock's parks and recreation director.
In past meetings, committee members said a decision needed to be made on the 18-hole golf course's future before they felt comfortable moving forward. But on Wednesday, several committee members said they realized the most recent plan was a start on something after years of discussion.
"It does add new uses to the area and that's what we're trying to do. I'd probably call it phase one," said Bobby Roberts, a committee member and director of the Central Arkansas Library System.
A July study on the city's golf operations recommends spending even more money on marketing and maintaining the War Memorial golf course and reconstructing its greens.
Funding for the park improvements discussed Wednesday will come from an estimated $5.6 million the city could raise by refinancing a 1998 park bond. City directors, who discussed the refinancing plan for the first time Tuesday, have yet to sign on although the parks and recreation commission has already given its blessing.
With what appears to be a concrete decision in the works, committee members emphasized Wednesday that the upgrades are not the end of revitalizing War Memorial Park.
"There's got to be a long-range plan," said Bettina Brownstein, who told other committee members she was discouraged to hear a "hodgepodge" of ideas rather than an end goal.
"Even if we had $25 million, we would start here. It gives us a quick start," Tolefree said.
The committee will continue to meet, said Vice Mayor Stacy Hurst, who has led discussion on the park's redevelopment since 2005.
For $1.2 million, the parks department expects to replace an archery field near Interstate 630 with a recreation field, and add a mile-long walking trail and a small water park.
City officials have said that the park can't be all things to all people, but under the redesign archery enthusiasts would have to find another outside range at which to shoot their bows.
City code prohibits firing a bow anywhere in the city otherthan on a range, and War Memorial Park is the only public outdoor range in Little Rock.
"I think that would definitely be a mistake on the city's part because they just got the archery range back up and running," said Dewey Mahan, an employee at Archer's Advantage on 12th Street in Little Rock.
A range at North Little Rock's Burns Park is more secluded and run-down, Mahan said, so Little Rock's archery range has become more popular with people practicing for hunting season and for fun.
"It's very nice. It's definitely something that's needed. There's places that's somewhat close, but you're talking about an hour ride compared to the middle of Little Rock," he said.
There hasn't been any discussion about finding another location for the archery range, but that doesn't mean there won't be in the future, Hurst said.
"It's conceivable we could find another place for them but we'd have to work with the archers," she said.
Along with a new focus on the park's entryways, the latest plan calls for sprucing up the park's creek and pond. The Walker Tennis Center also would be demolished, along with a nearby parking lot, in favor of green space where people can picnic or play games.
The potential changes wouldn't decrease the number of parking spaces for football games at War Memorial Stadium, Hurst said.
Regardless, demolishing parking lots in favor of green space will likely require new agreements between the city and War Memorial Stadium, said Kevin Crass, a War Memorial Stadium commissioner who sits on the committee. The stadium has perpetual easements and game day contracts with the city to park thousands of cars inside War Memorial Park.
Crass said he plans to have workers count cars parked for a Razorbacks game Saturday in the area where the city wants to put in a water park. That will give him and city officials a better idea of how many spaces could be lost.
In the meantime, War Memorial Stadium commissioners have committed to building a walking trail around the stadium.
"Every day I'm out there I notice that people who work there at the Health Department or whatever, people are walking constantly around the streets and the sidewalk that's available and maybe throughout the parking lot. If we can have a designated trail it would be better for everyone," Commission Chairman Gary Smith said.
Stodola approached the committee with the idea earlier this year, Smith said, although it hasn't been decided whether the trail will mean lines painted around the stadium or the addition of a special surface.
Front Section, Pages 1, 2 on 09/04/2008