FAYETTEVILLE -- Residents at a public input gathering for the in-development Underwood Park praised the plan for meshing natural, recreational and social aspects but had questions over details such as parking, lighting and trails.
Craig and Laura Underwood donated land to the city for use as a park in 2020. The land once served as the Razorback Golf Course west of Deane Solomon Road. A number of development proposals over the years faced widespread resident opposition until the Underwoods purchased the land.
For now, the park is mostly an open field with about 58 acres. Consultants with Ecological Design Group in Rogers presented a draft of a plan for the park to a crowd of about 60 people at Holcomb Elementary School on Wednesday.
Martin Smith, landscape architect with EDG, said the plan melded three themes: nature immersion, active lifestyles and social gathering. Clabber Creek runs through the middle of the property, and a goal of the plan was to preserve a habitat corridor and restore much of the land's ecology, he said.
Residents who live along a row of homes immediately north of the park asked how their homes would be buffered from park activity. A row of trees and vegetation would screen homes from the main parking lot, which would lie about 75 feet away from backyards, Smith said. There would be about 150 total parking spots in three areas of the park.
Alison Jumper, the city's director of parks, natural resources and cultural affairs, said park features will have to adhere to city code so that lighting and stormwater will not encroach upon nearby properties.
An activity area is planned at the northern end of the park featuring pickleball and basketball courts, a playground and a splash pad. A large lawn for play would sit just south of the activity area. A wetland boardwalk and a mix of hard and soft trails would weave throughout.
A disc golf course is planned at the western edge of the park. A performance space in the center could host concerts.
Additionally, a dog park would sit at the eastern edge of the park. The existing lake to the south would be expanded, and two ponds would lie west of the lake. Smith said the ponds could be stocked with fish. Bird watching is already a popular activity in the area, so the group put a birding area to the west near the ponds, in the quietest part of the park, he said.
Jeff Glover walked to the meeting from his house and said he has attended all of the previous meetings held on the park's development. He commended the consultant group for incorporating what residents asked for most, such as biking trails, activity hubs and social gathering spaces.
Neighbors who fought against development of the space wanted to see the area preserved, and the park's plan delivers on that idea, Glover said. He said he thinks the park will serve as a draw for residents from all over town.
"It's a beautiful area, and I think there are going to be a lot of folks in Fayetteville who are going to enjoy it," Glover said. "Right now I think it's mainly people from the neighborhoods in this part of town."
Denise King, who lives northwest of the park, said she felt the consultant group took a thoughtful approach with the natural characteristics of the land. She said the western side of town generally lacks connected bikeways and green space, and the park will provide amenities generally available in other parts of town.
King expressed enthusiasm for the more passive aspects of the plan, such as the wetland boardwalk. Bringing back some of the ecological habitat that was lost when the land became a golf course will usher a connection between nature and park-goers, she said.
King said she was thankful the Underwoods donated the land.
"I'm excited the family had the forethought to make this space available and to share it with the community," she said. "That is important."
Development of the park will happen in phases. Jumper said the city has $2.4 million allocated for a beginning phase, with a total estimated cost of $10 million-$15 million. Construction should begin in late 2024 or early 2025.
A conceptual drawing shows a proposed plan for Underwood Park, the site of the former Razorback Golf Course west of Deane Solomon Road, in Fayetteville. The city is taking public comment on the proposed amenities. (Courtesy/Fayetteville)