Mayor: 'Dominoes' Lined up for Development

Sprouse Proposes Trail Construction Crew

— Mayor Doug Sprouse, in his state of the city speech Tuesday, compared the preparation for economic development in the city to lining up dominoes.

“I’ve lived in this city for a long time and I’ve never been more excited about the possibilities and opportunities ahead of us,” Sprouse said. “I think we are going to see those dominoes begin to fall.”

Sprouse reviewed the moves made in the recent years that would help development and the quality of life in the city. He also proposed another measure that would add to the city’s quality of life, by improving its trail system.

“I would like to create a crew that would be dedicated to building trails,” Sprouse said.

Pay for a trail crew would come from additional money coming to the city from the 0.5 percent sales tax increase approved by voters in November. A portion of the sales tax would go to cities based on population.

Springdale will be getting $1.2 million in additional money over the next 10 years, Sprouse said.

Also, the Walton Family Foundation has been donating money for area trails to match the money spent by cities.

Improving trails leads to improved quality of life which results in more economic development, Sprouse said.

The Springdale Master Street Plan, approved in 2010, calls for primary trails across the city. North/south primary trails would be along 56th Street, Old Missouri Road and Butterfield Coach Road.

East/west regional trails would run along Don Tyson Parkway, Emma Avenue west of Springdale High School, Huntsville Avenue east of Spring Creek, Harber Avenue and along Spring Creek west of Silent Grove Road.

The trails run off the Razorback Greenway, a 36-mile trail now under construction from Fayetteville to Bentonville. The greenway will run through Springdale, from Lake Fayetteville along Powell and Park Street, up Spring Creek to Lake Springdale, along Silent Grove road to Interstate 540 and Goad Springs Road to the city limits.

Sprouse reviewed the progress of the city’s bond program, approved in August. The Fire Department improvements are proceeding, he said, with a donation of land on Don Tyson Parkway scheduled as the site of the relocated Fire Station No. 2.

The new Station No. 7 would be located near Har-Ber Meadows, Sprouse said, with two properties on Cooper Lane under consideration for the relocated No. 3.

Park property in the southeast and northwest corners of the city have been purchased, he said. The Don Tyson Interchange is still proceeding as is two other road projects on that parkway.

Progress is also being made on improvements and extension of 56th Street, Sprouse said.

“More and more people are saying there is a better attitude in Springdale and we are moving forward,” Sprouse said.

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