Northwest Arkansas celebrated the opening of its 37-mile-long recreational Razorback Greenway Trail last week to the sounds and sights of city fanfare stretching from Fayetteville north to Bentonville.
This landscaped envy of so many similar-sized metropolitan regions across America was the culmination of years of planning and building that wound up costing about a million dollars a mile.
And when linked with existing paved trails, the potential for exercise and enjoyment stretches over 100 miles and another 150 miles of soft-packed trails. I have no doubt that this added feature to an already exceptional life in these Ozarks hills will pay enormous dividends in decades to follow.
This trail system demonstrates what tremendous good can be accomplished when cities in the corridor stretching from Greenland to Bella Vista share a common vision and work to turn dreams into reality ... well, those along with a $15 million grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation and even more from government assistance.
Housing Boom II
It appears to be back to boom times for home sellers in Northwest Arkansas these days. And the resurgence triggered memories of similar artificially overheated home building and sales markets back in the early 2000s that steadily ballooned into a whopping explosion by 2010 and wound up leading to thousands of foreclosures and bankruptcies. There were some bad times economically until the gross surplus of homes could be absorbed.
As among those caught in that very trap, I recall well having to bring a whopping check from retirement to the table when I finally sold mine at a huge loss.
But Kathy Deck at the University of Arkansas, widely considered the final word on economics in the Northwest corridor, says the building and demand are fluctuating normally this time, which certainly is good news.
Plus, the number of available homes for sale recently hit a 12-month low and a third of the homes were selling within two weeks of being listed. And apparently it's not unusual nowadays for homes priced less than $300,000 to receive more than one offer in a single day.
Deck's assessment seems nothing but upbeat in virtually every way: "Construction is at a good clip, but not overheated. It's at appropriate levels for a low-inventory market."
Saving War Eagle
Officials in Benton County took the correct step the other night when they decided to continue to seek an engineer to examine the historic bridge at War Eagle Mill and determine how it can best be used, considering its age and condition.
That one-lane bridge built in 1907 over War Eagle Creek has been the object of discussion and examination for several years now since it became evident it needed restoration and significant repairs.
Because it's such a charming span that's endeared itself in the hearts and psyches of the hundreds of thousands who've walked and driven it (especially during the annual crowded craft fairs held in fields alongside the creek's banks), so many people want to see it saved, even if as a pedestrian bridge.
County Judge Bob Clinard said it's important at this point to locate an engineering firm that can draw solid conclusions about its future. "The maximum loading we can get an engineer to sign off on will tell us what we can use it for," said Clinard.
The wood-planked bridge was closed to traffic during three months in 2010 to complete more than a half-million dollars in renovations. Yet even then, studies showed the span actually required $1.7 million in repairs to ensure its safety.
Surely there exists a bridge expert in our nation willing to undertake this challenge for such a worthwhile cause. The vast majority of people (count me among them) want to see this bridge continue to span the creek beside the popular grist mill and country store.
Clinard said rumors the county wants to tear down the bridge aren't true. Fact is, the county has been examining bypassing the bridge altogether while leaving it intact, rehabbing it completely or replacing it at the same location.
I especially appreciated what Justice of the Peace Susan Anglin said in justifying the need to preserve the bridge for future generations. "I think we need to have an exhaustive search for an engineer," she told a reporter. "I can't believe that 108 years ago they could build a bridge like that and today we're acting like it's impossible."
Come on, folks, let's find a feasible way to preserve such an historic treasure.
Bentonville Amazon
Gadzooks, a piranha reeled, not out of the Amazon River, but from little Lake Bentonville?
Yep, it's true. A state biologist confirmed that a Bella Vista woman caught one, then posted its picture on Facebook.
These razor-toothed little meat-eaters have gained a reputation for group-feeding ferocity. But the few taken now and then from Arkansas waters apparently are loners dumped by private aquarium owners. So nothing to fear.
Besides, even if they make it through our summers, the frigid winter temperatures do them in. The aspect most to fear is the $250 fine one can receive for dumping non-native species of fish into state waters.
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Mike Masterson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at mikemasterson10@hotmail.com.
Editorial on 05/09/2015