ROGERS -- The chirp of a bird drifted through the air as city officials stood on the foundation of a planned pavilion overlooking Lake Atalanta on Friday.
A boardwalk under construction runs past the pavilion site to the shell of what will be an observation blind for viewing wildlife. The secluded 20 acres of land sits in the northeast corner of the 235-acre Lake Atlanta Park, which is under renovation.
The area is unofficially known as Walnut Grove for the grouping of Walnut trees that dot the landscape. Other trees also rise up from the land.
"The idea from the Lake Atalanta Committee is that this would be the start of any educational tours," Mayor Greg Hines said as he strolled the boardwalk.
Walnut Grove will soon connect via walking trail to the centrally located main entrance of Lake Atalanta Park off Walnut Street. The trail also will extend further and connect with downtown at the new bike park at 299 E. Cherry St. Another trail spur travels to the nearly finished southeast portion of the park where a large dog park, bathrooms and a parking lot sit.
A majority of the 3½ miles of hard-surface trails already are complete and open for use except for a loop that will include boardwalks around Lake Atalanta. Another 10 miles of single-track mountain and hiking trails wind through the park. Portions of these trails are closed as the park renovation continues.
The $17.5 million renovation is expected to be complete in October, said David Hook, Rogers director of facilities and development. A flurry of activity was underway at the park Friday as machinery moved dirt and workers finished other details.
The park will be aesthetically similar to state parks when finished, Hines said. Details such as natural stone work, boardwalks and large wood-truss bridges add quality to the park, he said.
This is a shift from the park's history, which has included mini-golf, a swimming pool and roller skating rink in the past. The Work Projects Administration, formerly the Works Progress Administration, began construction on the lake in 1936. Its dam was one of 36 built in Arkansas between 1930 and 1937.
Other renovations include fishing piers, natural setting playgrounds, a serenity garden and an information center. Foundation work also has been completed for lights to line the trail around the lake. City officials are unsure if budget will allow for the lights to be installed immediately.
Boardwalks will make more of the lake accessible to the public, Hines said. Steep slopes surrounding the lake have made it difficult for people to reach it in the past.
Roads that connect to the park also are being updated. The City Council approved a $3.77 million construction project with ARCO Construction for the widening and realignment of Walnut Street on Tuesday.
Lance Jobe, Rogers project engineer, said about 1,000 feet of the road will be improved during the project that is expected to last about eight months.
The road will be lifted to allow trails to move under it, Jobe said. It also will include drainage improvements to reduce runoff into Lake Atalanta.
Preliminary work started on the Lake Atalanta project in 2008. About 125 acres of surrounding property was purchased in recent years to expand the park. The 20 acres at Walnut Grove was included in those purchases.
The Walton Family Foundation provided a $3.8 million matching grant to the city for the park's improvement.
NW News on 01/17/2016