BENTONVILLE -- The Parks and Recreation Department created master plans for the Melvin Ford Aquatic Center and for the Coughlin Property in addition to several capital improvement projects last year.
Department staff reported highlights from this year to the Parks Advisory Board at its last meeting of 2018 on Monday.
Meeting date
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board will begin to meet at 5 p.m. the first Monday of each month beginning in January instead of the third Monday of each month.
The board meets in the Downtown Activities Center at 215 S.W. A St.
Source: Staff report
Melvin Ford is 27 years old and in need of more aquatic amenities that provide play value, said Lee Farmer, recreation services manager.
Water Technology, a Wisconsin-based firm, created the plan, which includes upgrades to the outdoor 50-meter lap pool and new area with additional play features. It's estimated to cost $15 million.
Mike Power, board member, asked what the change in mayoral leadership could mean for the plan's implementation.
There isn't any money allotted for this plan in the 2019 budget, said David Wright, parks and recreation director.
Mayor Bob McCaslin is retiring, and Stephanie Orman will take the city's helm Jan. 1.
Orman serves on the council and participated in the plan's creation process, Wright said.
The Coughlin Property master plan includes several multi-use sports fields, a cricket field, a dog park and a playground, Farmer said. It will be located near Creekside Elementary School in the city's southwest area.
Wright said he hopes that park can be built in 2020. It's estimated to cost $3.5 million.
More multi-purpose fields and more open space are called for in the Play Bentonville Plan, the department's 10-year master plan, Farmer said.
Crant Osborne, parks operation manager, highlighted several capital improvement projects completed in 2018. Topping the list was the installation of turf fields at four ball fields in Memorial Park.
Visit Bentonville paid for the $500,000 project.
"It's been a huge success," Osborne said, explaining there were only two rain-out events.
That's compared with several league nights and four tournament cancellations in 2017, Wright said.
The department has $850,000 budgeted to place turf in the other five fields in October, Wright said.
Board members talked about the benefit of the turf fields as they provide visiting teams confidence that they'll be able to play despite wet weather.
"If you're going to get more tournaments out of it, that's a benefit," said Thomas Butrynski, board member.
"That word is going to spread," Power added.
The department also continued to build out Citizens Park this year with the pavilion and 17-space parking lot at the northwest corner of the Community Center grounds, Osborne said. A stage equipped with power was also constructed.
Tennis courts are being built at the park's northeast corner and are about 30 percent complete, according to meeting documents.
The department included $375,000 in its 2019 budget for an inclusive playground -- one for children of all abilities -- for the park.
There were about another dozen projects Osborne commented on including a few new fences, improvements to the Razorback Greenway, trail extensions, berm work at Orchards Park and upgrades at Melvin Ford's mechanical room.
Volunteers played a vital role in the department's operation, from trail maintenance to youth coaching to adopt-a-park program participants, Farmer said.
Volunteers logged 64,000 hours for a $1.4 million value, he said. That's equivalent to 29 full-time positions.
NW News on 12/18/2018