Rogers breaks ground on Lake Atalanta renovation

ROGERS -- Future generations will continue to make memories at Lake Atalanta, officials said, as they celebrated the groundbreaking for a $17.5 million renovation of the park Wednesday.

"There were a lot of firsts down here," said Raymond Burns, Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce CEO and president. "First time swimming, first time skating. I think this symbolizes that the older generation will share this with the younger generation."

History

The original land for Lake Atalanta was donated to the city in 1935 by O.L. Gregory in honor of his wife, Atalanta. The lake was created in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration, a federal agency.

The park has been a gathering place since the 1940s, when a pool, roller skating facility, restaurant and miniature golf course were near the lake. All of the amenities have closed over time.

A new vision for the park includes 10 miles of mountain bike and hiking trails, a creek for wading, bike park, boardwalk, fishing piers, new playgrounds and pavilions.

Mayor Greg Hines said the park has been a lifeblood of the community. It was the city's water source until Beaver Lake replaced it in the 1970s, he said.

Renovation to the park will extend its importance to the region.

"About two years ago I was able to tour the lake with Tom Walton," Hines said. "He was very gracious, but he said as we got out of the car that he didn't think I was thinking big enough."

Walton is the grandson of Sam Walton, founder of Walmart.

Preliminary work started on the lake renovation project in 2008, Hines said. The renovation was going to include a new pavilion, addition of a boathouse and playground equipment until the tour with Walton, Hines said.

City officials took another look at the project. Then the cost grew from $5 million to $17.5 million over a short period of time, he said.

About 125 acres of surrounding property was purchased, bringing the park's total to 236 acres, Hines said. The bike park, trails, boardwalk and dog park were a few things added to the plans, he said.

The plans also shifted focus to keeping the park as natural as possible, Hines said.

"Our design was to take the man-made hand out of the setting as much as possible and return it to nature," Hines said.

Brightly colored playground equipment will be replaced with equipment using nature themes, Hines said. A creek that runs through the park will be shifted to become a more central point in the park. It also will be widened, allowing for families to wade and play in the water, he said.

Mike Malone, Northwest Arkansas Council president and CEO, said the park will be a regional showcase of "natural beauty".

"As a region we need infrastructure for moving people around," Malone said. "We also need infrastructure for our families."

Ryan Hale, Walton Family Foundation program officer, said the park has personal meaning for him and his family.

"We held our wedding reception in the old skating rink," Hale said as he looked across to his wife. He also said he visits the park often with his children.

The Walton Family Foundation provided a $3.8 million matching grant to the city for the park's improvement.

"We believe that access to trails for everyone helps us appreciate the natural assets we have in our region," Hale said. "Trails benefit our economy and culture while giving us a better quality of life."

Benjamin Moore, owner of Old Town Auto Body in Rogers, said he has been advocating for mountain bike trails in the region for some time. A trail leading into the park will be a quarter-mile from his shop and pass by his house, he said.

"I used to drive several miles, sometimes an hour or more, to get to a trail so I could mountain bike," Moore said. "Now it will literally be in my backyard and it is fantastic."

The park is closed to the public as renovation starts on the project. The project is expected to take about 18 months with portions being completed as early as September.

NW News on 07/23/2015

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