BENTONVILLE -- The Parks and Recreation Department in Bentonville is hopeful to have a "quilt of parks" master plan by the end of the year, according to David Wright, parks and recreation director.
The plan will look at ways to connect Lawrence Plaza to Dave Peel Park to the parking lot southeast of Dave Peel Park and to Town Branch Park.
The parking lot could become a public plaza, according to a conceptual map presented to the Parks Advisory Board at its March 4 meeting.
"I know, I know," Wright told board members. "We know we need to relocate 120 parking spaces in order to do this."
The master plan would help find a parking solution, but it's "too far into the weeds" now, he said.
The plan's goal is to expand the downtown feel beyond the square rather than making the spaces feel like individual parks, Wright said.
The quilt of parks concept was initially introduced during the development of Play Bentonville, the department's master plan the City Council adopted in 2017.
The city renovated the square about 10 years ago. Wright said he didn't know of anyone who could have predicted the amount of people who attend events on the square today.
Officials have estimated more than 30,000 people visit the square during Downtown Bentonville's Toyland, the November First Friday event.
"I don't know that we ever thought we'd have that," Wright said. "It's a great problem to have."
Officials have said it's difficult and costly to maintain the square, which is about a quarter of an acre, when it gets that much use.
The conceptual illustrations include the parking lot south of the Community Development Building, which may be turned into a public green space or small plaza, he said.
City officials are discussing relocating the mayor's, finance and legal offices to the Community Development Building at 305 S.W. A St., making it the new City Hall.
Recasting LLC, a company associated with the Walton family, bought the City Hall building on West Central Avenue for $3.75 million at the end of last year.
Part of the sale agreement was for the city to lease the space at no charge for up to three years until the departments in the building can be moved.
The other departments in City Hall will move into a new Administrative Service Building, likely to be built in the southwest part of town.
Officials have discussed potential parking opportunities north of the Community Development Building.
Wright explained to board members the history of Dave Peel Park and its importance to the community.
It is the most used playground in the city, he said, but the plan could determine what its best use could be as the downtown continues to grow.
"To me, things are real fluid right now," Mike Powers, board member, said of the growth and changes of downtown.
He mentioned how Dave Peel Park might relate to the hotel planned at Tucker's Corner.
The public relations firm 4 Media Group announced in June 2018 a group led by Tom Walton plans to develop a 100- to 200-room hotel on the southeast corner of the square.
That's all that's known about the project at this point, Wright said March 4.
The Parks and Recreation Department has created a steering committee, which will interview three consulting firms this week and ideally select one by May 3, according to meeting documents.
The firm will gather information from the public and various stakeholders when developing the plan, Wright said, adding it will be a similar process to the creation of Play Bentonville Plan.
That process will start at the end of June or early July. A final plan is expected to go to the City Council by the end of the year.
A Walton Family Foundation grant of $453,600 is paying for the plan's creation as well as designs for Dave Peel Park.
The grant was one part of $3.6 million awarded to the region's four largest cities through the foundation's Design Excellence Program in 2017.
Metro on 03/11/2019