SPRINGDALE -- Park designers hope to take advantage of some of the natural areas in Luther George Park in downtown Springdale.
Kelly Syer, executive director of the Downtown Springdale Alliance, introduced preliminary plans for the park to the City Council on Monday night.
"Consider these designs as a basis to move forward," Syer told council members.
The four council members present gave Syer an assurance -- which will be followed by a letter of formal support from Mayor Doug Sprouse -- the city will be involved in the renovation and development of the park. The endorsement will allow the alliance to pursue a grant for formal design of the area from the Walton Family Foundation, Syer said.
"We are saying that the city is willing to do our part," Sprouse said. "We are not setting a level or committing to a certain amount of dollars. We are saying that we are supportive of the open space concept and that we intend to be in a position to contribute when the time comes."
The timeline for the upgraded park would see construction start in late spring 2019 and end in the fall of 2020, Syer said.
The initial concept design by Ecological Design Group of Little Rock includes some unique features for the downtown park based on its available resources, specifically Spring Creek.
The creek runs just south of the park, land the city is working to acquire, Sprouse said.
Stream restoration, a wetland area and a pavilion for ecology education would highlight the area. Native species planted along the creek could attract birds and wildlife and include a "way station" to attract Monarch butterflies -- a project of the group Springdale for Monarchs, which has planted similar sites across Springdale, Syer said. The butterflies migrate through Arkansas each fall from the northern U.S. and Canada to warmer climates in Mexico for the winter. During the spring migration north, many butterflies will stop and breed wherever they can find milkweed plants, according to the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission.
A series of boardwalks also are proposed for the wetland area. "I think it's a wonderful asset," Syer said. "You will be up above the ground and able to see all the merits of it. You don't want to be down in the marsh and the wet." And a pavilion for ecology education is planned for that area of the park.
Agriculture has always been a factor in the history of Springdale, Syer said, and that history and culture of Springdale will be celebrated in a unique agricultural area of the park. One idea for the area would be community gardens, and a presentation Syer put together also listed an apiary for beekeeping.
The concept for the park doesn't include ball fields, Syer said, but rather open spaces for play. The biggest feature of the new park design is a "great lawn," which will allow for programming, such as live music in the park. To the north, a pavilion is planned, with a concession stand and restrooms on the east side of the lawn near the center of the park.
Playground areas for both young children, ages 2 to 5 years, and older children, ages 6 to 12 years, are planned with appropriate playground equipment. Equipment provided to the city through a 2015 $100,000 donation from the Kiwanis Club will remain in the park, Syer said.
"That was a large capital investment by the Kiwanis Club," Syer said. "I want to make it very clear, we will keep the equipment, although it might not be located where it is now."
Dogs will be part of the fun, too, with a planned dog park.
A long-term phase of park development might see the park reaching north to East Emma Avenue. Such a space was included in the Downtown Plan in response to public input, Syer said. "It is becoming increasingly pedestrian on Emma," she said. "It will be absolutely gorgeous to include part of a big park. It will provide a welcome door to the park."
These initial plans involve mainly the park proper as the Walton Family Foundation currently focuses on other parks along the Razorback Greenway. The greenway runs near the creek on the south end of the park.
Luther George Park is one of the most-used parks in Springdale, Sprouse said. Many people from the surrounding neighborhoods walk to take advantage of the park's current amenities.
"No question about it, people from across the city will use the park," Syer said. "The designs include more than a few areas for public programming.
"And the bicycle culture built by the trails will attract cyclists to the park, whether they're local or come from Bella Vista. We hope they stop and have a picnic."
NW News on 03/20/2018