Lake Atalanta revamp project in full swing

Final phase of renovation includes dredging lake

Ignacio Gonzalez, 4, of Rogers, rides his bicycle around the park Thursday at Lake Atalanta in Rogers.
Ignacio Gonzalez, 4, of Rogers, rides his bicycle around the park Thursday at Lake Atalanta in Rogers.

ROGERS — The smell of honeysuckle moved through the air as Debi Bernhardt walked around Lake Atalanta while on her lunch break Friday.

photo

NWA Democrat-Gazette

Carla Gonzalez of Rogers pushes her son Carlos Gonzalez, 2, on a swing set on Thursday at Lake Atalanta in Rogers.

It’s a trek Bernhardt makes daily and one that will change in upcoming months as Rogers begins the final stages of a $17.5 million renovation of 236-acre Lake Atalanta Park.

David Hook, Rogers facilities development manager, said work will start soon on the final phase that will include dredging the lake, adding a boardwalk and concrete trails around it. It also will update pavilions and playground equipment and add concrete trails to newly developed park settings.

“The lake has been in need of a revamp for a long time,” Hook said. “It has been neglected for many years because we knew we were going to do this.”

The entire project is planned for completion in 18 months with portions being completed as early as August, Hook said.

Mayor Greg Hines said the project is important for Rogers.

“Lake Atalanta and all its glory has always been a very important facet to the city of Rogers,” Hines said. “It has been a central gathering place for the city for a number of decades. We are just trying to bring it back its relevance for the community in an appropriate way for today.”

Preliminary work on the project started in 2008, Hook said. This included public meetings and early design work, he said. The city started to purchase land to add to the park about three years ago, increasing the land area by about 125 acres overall.

About 10 miles of hiking and bike trails already are complete, Hook said. Work on a bike park on the southwest portion of the park near the intersection of Cherry Street and Arkansas Street is under way. It is set to be completed in August.

The bike park will include tracks for every level of bike rider, Hook said. The tracks will include ramps and jumps. A playground, dog park, restrooms, pavilion and observation deck also will be on site, he said. A concrete path will connect the bike park to Lake Atalanta. This also will become a main trail for downtown residents and visitors wanting to walk or ride a bike to the lake.

Misty Murphy, Northwest Arkansas Council regional trails coordinator, said the connectivity of downtown to the mountain bike trails at Lake Atalanta will be unique.

“It is a really quick, short ride,” Murphy said. “That is something that we have in Northwest Arkansas that other places in the country don’t have.”

Downtown Bentonville also connects to mountain bike trails easily, Murphy said.

“We are building that bike culture,” Murphy said. “We are a full regional mountain bike wonderland at this point It is wonderful that everyone is getting a piece of the moun tain bike action.”

Another concrete trail will be constructed from the center of the park to the southeast corner near Pleasant Ridge Road, Hook said. A parking lot also will be constructed off Pleasant Ridge Road. Trails also will extend to the northwest por tion of the park where new restrooms and a garden will be added.

The road Bernhardt walked on Friday will be closed and converted into a concrete trail, Hook said.

Bernhardt said the project will make walking easier for her in the future.

“I won’t have to fight traf fic or avoid potholes,” Bern hardt said. “That has been an issue.”

A 2,000-foot boardwalk will be added along with fishing peers and a new boat launch, Hook said.

Bids for the final phase of the project came in Thursday Hook said. It will take city of ficials several days to finish up review of the bids, he said

History of Lake Atalanta

The Works Projects Administration began construction on Lake Atalanta in 1936. Its dam was one of 36 dams built in Arkansas between 1930-37.

Source: Staff report

Teresa Moss can be contacted by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWATeresaM.

Upcoming Events