LITTLE ROCK — Work starts soon on new fire station
City Manager Bruce Moore said he expects the city to break ground next month on a new fire station in west Little Rock.
City directors approved a $2.6 million contract Tuesday for the city’s first new station in more than a decade.
The 8,000-square-foot building at Rahling and Taylor Loop roads has been at least a decade in the making, with city planners approving the plans several times. But the city did not have enough money to break ground, despite receiving a $2 million federal stimulus grant and having $400,000 set aside from a past short-term loan.
Last month, Little Rock voters passed a sales-tax increase that takes effect Jan. 1 and will give the city the additional money needed to build the station.
Dayco Construction of Damascus won the construction bid. City officials expect construction to take 12 months.
Contractor sought
to build pathway
Little Rock has turned its attention to southwest Little Rock for new trail development.
The city has a bid out seeking contractors to work on an 1,800-foot-long trail that would connect a neighborhood behind the Southwest Community Center to the center and a nearby library.
The $30,000 project is the result of an Arkansas Outdoor Recreation grant, which allocates funds from a past tobacco settlement with the state.
Depending on the bid outcome and weather this winter, park officials said they expect the trail to be open by spring or summer.
3 businesses win landscape honors
Three Little Rock businesses were honored by the City Beautiful Commission as “best of the best” for their landscaping.
The commission announced the winners of the annual competition Tuesday.
Panaderia Taqueria Las Americas restaurant at 8622 Chicot Road, Student Loan Guarantee Foundation of Arkansas at 10 Turtle Creek Lane and Town & Country Animal Hospital, 16925 Cantrell Road, won the 32nd annual awards.
More than 50 locations were nominated, with the winners chosen by the public. Landscapes must be in place one year and demonstrate excellent design, implementation and maintenance to be considered.
Arkansas, Pages 18 on 10/23/2011