ROGERS -- An Arkansas design firm will be recommended to the City Council as the Park and Recreation Commission's choice to design the trails, playground and other amenities around Lake Atalanta.

Ecological Design Group, which has offices in Fayetteville, was selected from 13 firms that submitted qualifications to the commission for consideration.

Martin Smith of the Ecological Group; Braham Driver, a civil engineer and Rogers resident; Reva Meeks, a landscape architect; and Tanner Weeks, a landscape architect, who has a parks and recreation background, represented the company Tuesday at the commission meeting.

"We are excited about this project for a number of reasons," Smith said. "Lake Atalanta has a great history; it's a unique place with natural springs and a wide range of plants and animals. We want to preserve those things and build on what's there. We are not going to suggest digging the place up and replacing the native plants with nursery plants."

Ecological Design Group staff members will review the landscape, vegetation, geology, hydrology and wildlife before beginning the park design, Smith said.

"We will see the project all the way through from the site analysis to writing the construction documents to seeking bids and providing construction management. Braham and Reva will be the supervisors for the project," Smith said.

"I want the park to have a unified feel so that it all blends into one park and doesn't look choppy," said Greg Lindley, commission chairman. "I think these are the people who can make that happen."

Betty Evans, commissioner, said what she likes about Ecological Design Group is their passion and attitude regarding Lake Atalanta.

"They aren't going in with the attitude of making a cookie-cutter park like some other park. They want to make the area around Lake Atalanta unique, something that fits Rogers, not some other city," Evans said.

David Hook, city facilities development manager, said the recommendation to hire the company should be on the July 8 council agenda.

In other business, Rick Hightower, trails coordinator for the city park system, said he's looking for volunteers or clubs to help keep trails clean.

"We are recruiting volunteers for the multiuse trails at Lake Atalanta and the entire city trail system," Hightower said.

His plan calls for volunteers to work 8 a.m.-noon one Saturday each month. Trail maintenance would include weed cutting, picking up trash and trimming limbs.

"Most cities with trails have volunteers who help with trail maintenance. It's a way walkers or bike riders can have some ownership of the trail system," Hightower said.