Springdale City Council accepts measures to improve recreational opportunities

File Photo - Springdale City Hall / Courtesy - High Jackson Associates Design plans for the Springdale Parks and Recreation remodel.
File Photo - Springdale City Hall / Courtesy - High Jackson Associates Design plans for the Springdale Parks and Recreation remodel.

SPRINGDALE -- Members of the City Council Committee of The Whole on Monday night took several steps to improve recreation opportunities in the city.

The council accepted $3.8 million in grants from the Walton Family Foundation to complete two of the city's trails and agreed to hire a construction manager to oversee the renovation of the city's new Recreation Center. They will vote on both measures during the next regular council meeting.

The city will receive $3 million to build Phase 3 of Dean's Trail on the east side of town, reported Brad Baldwin, director of the city's engineering and public works departments. This phase will take the trail south to tie into the Fayetteville trail system.

Baldwin expects Phase 3 to begin construction next year and finish in 2021. Phase 2, a tunnel under East Robinson Avenue, east of Old Missouri Road, currently is under construction.

Another $760,000 grant will build Spring Creek Trail through the Arkansas Game & Fish Center's Nature Center on 40th Street.

Baldwin said that project sits ready for construction, waiting on the money.

Renovations at the Springdale Recreation Center will focus on the middle portion of the building -- new locker rooms for men and women, a new reception desk, concession area and classrooms downstairs. In an upstairs loft, members of the parks department will find their offices.

With approval of the measure Oct. 22, the city will contract with Commerce Construction Co., paying the company 6 percent of the construction costs of the project.

"Now they can get us a competitive cost to build it," said Chad Wolf, director of the city's Parks and Recreation Department.

Construction will start in late January, with a target date of late July for completion, Wolf noted.

The city purchased the building for the recreation center in December for $4.1 million. Money for the purchase came from the parks bond fund approved by voters in February 2018.

As of Friday, the city has spent $185,139 for other repairs, reported Wyman Morgan, the city's director of finance and administration.

The building, built in 2004, housed the All-Star Sports Arena and then Next Level sports academies.

Mayor Doug Sprouse noted at the time of purchase that the building needed many repairs and renovations. "We knew what issues we are facing," Sprouse said. "I don't think we found anything we didn't already know about."

The city recently finished renovating the indoor soccer fields. This included pouring a concrete base, installing lights and adding turf. Wolf expects netting to go in next week.

Lights also will be installed on the basketball courts in the next couple weeks, he said. And painting work continues.

The city still faces replacing the air conditioning and heating system, which might cost about $1 million, Wolf said. The roof will probably be replaced as a part of these upgrades.

photo

Courtesy High Jackson Associates Design plans for the Springdale Parks and Recreation remodel.

NW News on 10/15/2019

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