ROGERS -- The chirp of a bird drifted through the air Friday as city officials stood on the foundation of a planned pavilion overlooking Lake Atalanta.
A boardwalk under construction runs past the site to the shell of what will be a wildlife observation blind. The secluded 20 acres is in the northeast corner of the 235-acre Lake Atalanta Park, which is under renovation.
The area is unofficially known as Walnut Grove for the trees that dot the landscape. Other trees rise up from the land.
"The idea from the Lake Atalanta Committee is that this would be the start of any educational tours," Rogers Mayor Greg Hines said as he strolled the boardwalk.
Walnut Grove will soon connect via walking trail to the main entrance of Lake Atalanta Park off Walnut Street. The trail will extend farther and connect with downtown Rogers 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 dog park, bathrooms and a parking lot sit.
Most 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 completed in October, said David Hook, Rogers' director of facilities and development. 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 miniature golf, a swimming pool and a roller skating rink. 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, playgrounds, a serenity garden and an information center. Foundation work has been completed for lights to line the trail around the lake. City officials are uncertain whether the 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 Rogers City Council on Tuesday approved a $3.77 million project with ARCO Construction for the widening and realignment of Walnut Street.
Lance Jobe, Rogers' project engineer, said about 1,000 feet of the road will be improved during the project, which is expected to take about eight months to complete.
The road will be lifted to allow trails to move under it, Jobe said. The work 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 were purchased in recent years to expand the park. The 20 acres at Walnut Grove were included in those purchases.
The Walton Family Foundation provided a $3.8 million matching grant to the city for the park's improvement.
Metro on 01/18/2016