FAYETTEVILLE -- The city wants to know what residents want out of their parks.
A series of at least a dozen input sessions kicked off Thursday at Holt Middle School on Rupple Road. The focus of the series, dubbed Imagine Tomorrow's Parks, is to get feedback on how best to shape the city's 10-year plan for parks and amenities.
Input sessions
Fayetteville’s Parks and Recreation Department is seeking feedback to formulate its 10-year plan. Sessions will be held:
• Sunday: 3 to 5 p.m., Fayetteville Public Library
• Tuesday: 4:30 to 7 p.m., Boys & Girls Club, Rupple Road
• April 12: 4:30 to 7 p.m., Botanical Garden of the Ozarks
• April 14: 10 a.m. to noon, Gulley Park Playground Pavilion
• April 14: 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Wilson Park Playground Pavilion
• April 18: 4 to 6 p.m., Yvonne Richardson Community Center
• April 21: 10 a.m. to noon, Kessler Mountain Regional Park Concession
• April 21: 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Bryce Davis Park Dog Park and Playground
• April 30: 5 to 7 p.m., Walker Park Baseball Concession
• May 3: 5 to 7 p.m., Lake Fayetteville Marina
• May 5: 8 a.m. to noon, Fayetteville Square
Source: Fayetteville Parks and Recreation Department
The parks plan was last updated in 2002. Since then, the city's population has changed significantly, and parks officials want the next plan to reflect that, said Ted Jack, parks superintendent.
"One of the things we've got to pay attention to is to not let our own biases cloud what the community is telling us," he said. "We want to really get the information and listen and pay attention to it."
The department has $200,000 set aside in the city's budget between this year and next to develop the new plan. A final draft should be ready by fall 2019, Jack said.
Parks staff were on hand Thursday to answer any questions and provide information on the parks system in the city. Participants filled out surveys on a range of topics which will all become part of the larger conversation.
For example, city leaders want to know if residents want more investment in large, multipurpose parks such as the one at Kessler Mountain or smaller, community-oriented parks.
A resident campaign to save Lewis Park next to Asbell Elementary School sprang up last year. The city's lease with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture is set to expire June 30. The university system's board agreed to sell the property, which has an appraised value of $4.1 million. The city's youth soccer program moved to Kessler Mountain Regional Park.
Greta Buysse, 9, said she has played soccer at Lewis Park and Kessler Mountain. She said she prefers the fields at Kessler.
Her dad, Bob Buysse, feels differently. Lewis is closer to their home, he said.
The two agreed about having an aquatic center and more splash pads in the city. Greta said playgrounds could use more equipment that's friendly to children of different abilities.
"I feel like for many special-needs kids, it's not fair enough for them," she said. "I have a few at my school, and it's sometimes sad to see them sit out away from their friends while the others are on the playground."
Additional input sessions are planned.
NW News on 04/06/2018