A task force focused on new uses for two of Little Rock's parks hopes to present a vision that extends beyond the borders of each one.
Golf operations at War Memorial and Hindman parks ceased over the summer. Since then, a task force convened by Mayor Frank Scott Jr. has been studying what the best way to use the newly freed-up green space -- and how to fund new recreation options -- might be.
The group has zeroed in on making War Memorial a place that serves as a central park for Little Rock, much like Piedmont Park is for Atlanta and Forest Park is for St. Louis, and on connecting the parks with surrounding neighborhoods.
"Our overarching theme was we need something that's iconic for this city," said Dr. Riley Lipschitz, who chaired a planning subcommittee for the task force.
Lipschitz added that being able to paint a picture of a park's potential effect could encourage stakeholders to get on board.
At its regular meeting Wednesday, the task force discussed a draft of proposals for the two parks. The recommendations are subject to change or could be added on to, but the group plans to present a final version to the Little Rock Board of Directors in late December or early January.
The task force plans to recommend the creation of a "War Memorial District" that would be bordered by Markham Street to the north, West 12th Street to the south, South Pine Street to the east and South University Avenue to the west. It would include the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, CHI St. Vincent Infirmary and the Hillary Rodham Clinton Children's Library and Learning Center.
That area also overlaps with an opportunity zone, one of Arkansas' 85 federally designated census tracts that offer preferential tax treatment to investors in economically distressed areas.
The outlined proposal goes hand in hand with an $11.9 million project by UAMS to realign Pine and Cedar streets in hopes of making the medical campus more walkable and accessible from the surrounding neighborhoods.
Under the task force's draft plan, the zoo would be expanded to include the part of the former golf course that sits north of the zoo and east of Fair Park Boulevard.
War Memorial Park would convert former golf course space into a sports complex, based on the results of a study commissioned by the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The former golf clubhouse would be converted into a restaurant, and the golf cart center would be turned into a beer garden-style facility. Additional green space would used for a community garden or would be reforested. An outdoor amphitheater is also a possibility.
Potential partners could include UAMS; Healthy Active Arkansas; the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce; the Central Arkansas Library System; neighborhood associations; and the state, which manages War Memorial Stadium, according to the draft.
As for Hindman, the task force plans to recommend turning the area into an "adventure park district," a nature corridor that would begin at West 65th Street.
The park would include recreation options such as disc golf. It would have a pavilion, a small amphitheater and performing arts space through the repurposing of the existing park clubhouse, a multipurpose lawn, courts for pickleball and grass volleyball, multiuse trails and a system of boardwalks allowing visitors to traverse the park's wetlands.
Other activities could include fishing, kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding.
The city could work with organizations such as Audubon Arkansas, the Nature Conservancy, the Parks and Recreation Foundation, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the Walton Foundation to make those ideas a reality.
Additionally, there was talk of asking voters to approve additional funding for the parks through a referendum, something a task force for the zoo has also discussed. Parks task force members agreed the city would need to present a clear vision for how the park space would be used in order to gain support.
The task force's next meeting is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Centre at University Park, 6401 W. 12th St.
Metro on 11/21/2019