SPRINGDALE -- Outdoor recreation is on the rise in the city with a major new park soon to open and plenty of improvements for other parks close to completion.
The city made a major investment to build new parks and improve longstanding parks when a bond was passed in 2012. That investment is now beginning to show.
The bond provided money for the creation of C.L. "Charlie" and Willie George Park at 4477 Don Tyson Parkway and a park in the northwest part of town, which is yet to be developed or named. The bond also provided money to renovate parts of Murphy Park and Bobby Hopper Park, said Melissa Reeves, director of public relations for Springdale.
Mayor Doug Sprouse stressed the significant role parks play in the community.
"Parks are an important part of any family friendly and active community," he said. "Our parks are a great place for residents to relax, play sports or just spend time with family and friends in a beautiful, outdoor space that is safe and well maintained. I'm happy to see so many of our residents from around the city enjoying our parks."
C.L. and Willie George Park is set to open sometime before the end of June. It cost about $10 million to build the park, said Bill Mock, director of Springdale Parks and Recreation.
"I suspect within the next two or three weeks we'll have it complete," Mock said. "We just want to make sure everything is right, because this is a park that was paid with bond money that the citizens of Springdale wanted, and we want to make sure it's absolutely right because the citizens of Springdale deserve the best."
The George family donated $500,000 toward creation of the park, Reeves said.
The park will be on 70 acres and feature four baseball/softball fields that have synthetic turf infields, six soccer fields, three tennis courts, a football field, a large playground with a splash pad, a walking trail and a dog park, Mock said.
Nearly all the sports fields and courts will have lights, Mock said.
Development began in fall 2014 with a projected summer 2015 completion date, but excessive rain caused numerous construction delays, Mock said.
"I know the construction company (said) they were rained out of work 140 days," he said.
Murphy Park, at 501 S. Pleasant St., and Bobby Hopper Park, at 399 Upton Lane, also are having upgrades.
Murphy Park improvements include a total renovation of the pond area, with the middle of the pond being dredged out, cement paving added around the pond's bank and fountains being constructed in the pond. The project also includes new handicap accessible bathrooms and a new pavilion. The aquatic center next to Murphy Park also received improvements, with the water slides being refurbished. Improvements to Murphy Park are scheduled to be completed by Sept. 30.
"This is one of the first parks the city of Springdale had, if not the first park, and it's still a very popular park," Mock said.
Jacob and Judi Ocampo visited Murphy Park on Friday afternoon with their chihuahua Lobo. The Ocampos had not been to the park in years, but came to have lunch and take their dog for a walk. Jacob said he supports park improvements, but believes road improvements should take higher priority. The Ocampos believe that parks benefit children.
"I think they're healthy for children, getting them out of the house, not being depressed and getting them away from video games," Judi Ocampo said.
Bobby Hopper Park will receive a new playground, new asphalt in the parking lot, fresh landscaping to the soccer fields and improvements to the pavilion. Renovations are 70 percent done, Mock said.
The Randall Tyson Recreational Complex, at 4303 Watkins Ave., and J.B. Hunt Park, at 1955 Flemming Ave., are close to having improvements completed, with baseball/softball infield surfaces being replenished and scoreboards installed at each park. Disc golf fields at J.B. Hunt Park also are being improved, Mock said.
The city will look further into the future with the development of the northwest park, which will begin after George Park is completed, Reeves said.
The northwest park, which will be at County Line Road and Ball Street, will be on 100 acres. The plans will be ambitious, Mock said.
"With 100-plus acres we just have to sit down and re-evaluate what Springdale needs and incorporate it into the overall plan," he said.
NW News on 05/29/2016