Two grants to help city enhance its greenways

BENTONVILLE -- Two areas of the Regional Razorback Greenway in the city will be enhanced with a tree planting project, and a third area will have outdoor equipment thanks to two grants from the Walton Family Foundation.

The Bentonville City Council approved 5-0 at its meeting Tuesday to accept a $150,000 grant to buy and install 120 trees along the Wishing Spring and South Bentonville trails. Both trails are part of the Razorback Regional Greenway.

Council Action

Bentonville City Council met Tuesday and approved:

• Amending the 2015 Community Development Block Grant Action Plan.

• An agreement with Ozark Tennis Academy.

• Budget adjustment of $100,900 for additional costs associated with McKissic Creek Lift Station work.

• A $138,850 bid to Crow Paving for replacing damaged concrete in the wastewater plant floor.

• Releasing .9 acre at the airport from Federal Aviation Administration obligation.

• Declaring nine firearms donated by Walmart as surplus.

Source: Staff Report

It also approved a second grant of $63,000 to buy and install fitness equipment that will be placed along the North Bentonville Trail. Aldermen Tim Robinson, Chris Sooter and Bill Burckart were absent.

The trees will be caliper trees, six inches in diameter, that stand about 40 feet tall when installed, according to meeting documents.

"They're pretty high end," Mayor Bob McCaslin said prior to the meeting. "They're going to look like a tree that we might have planted 10 years ago. It's expediting the maturity of the canopy ... This is about as big a tree as you can plant without giant equipment."

About half the trees will be planted along Wishing Spring Trail between the Bark Park and North Walton Boulevard. The others will be planted on South Bentonville Trail starting behind Bentonville High School running south to Southeast 28th Street, said David Wright, parks and recreation director, after the meeting.

The trees will be bought from Select Trees of Athens, Ga. The Council waived the bidding requirements as Georgia farm was the only tree farm officials were able to locate that had the quantities and sizes requested, according to meeting documents.

The farm has supplied trees to places like Crystal Bridges and Augusta National Golf Club, host of the Masters Tournament.

The $103,066 bid waiver consists of $70,666 to buy the trees and $32,400 to transport them. The remaining grant money will be used for installation.

The trees will be visually appealing to trail users and motorists along North Walton Boulevard, Wright said.

"You'll forget the fact that the busiest road in town is right there," he said.

Tree installation is expected to begin in November.

Adding different aspects to the trails -- trees, equipment, public art, benches, water fountains, etc. -- helps create a culture in the parks system, Wright said.

"It's not just concrete. It's a trail, it's a park, it's an experience," he said. "It's trying to better serve our residents. The Walton Family Foundation is going a long way to help us meet that mission."

Metro on 06/29/2016

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