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Parks department highlights grants, events and community cleanup; Garden Club warns Bush Creek is 'full of trash'
Summary
Department updates included an $8 million grant opportunity for a multiuse safe room at a tennis facility, RTP and USA grant efforts, a $25,000 resident donation for disc golf baskets, reservations opening April 1 and a Garden Club letter warning that Bush Creek is full of trash.
Parks and Recreation staff summarized a range of ongoing projects, grant pursuits and community events at the commission's March meeting and read a letter from the Little Rock Garden Club raising concerns about litter in the Bush Creek watershed.
Director Leland Couch said the department is pursuing several grant opportunities, including a potential grant to build a multipurpose 'safe room' at the resin tennis facility that he described as "potentially a $8 million" project, and modifications to add USA grants for resurfacing tennis courts. Couch also said staff are preparing an RTP grant application for a boat launch on River Mountain and continuing work on other capital projects.
Graham Brown, parks data and marketing coordinator, listed spring and early-summer events across community centers, including a St. Patrick's potluck, family bingo, a Pathway to Wellness vendor event, an Easter egg hunt and social dances called 'sneaker balls.' Brown also confirmed the pavilion reservation system is active for dates on or after April 1: "You can reserve pavilions right now," he told the commission.
Couch noted community support for some projects: a resident donated more than $25,000 to purchase disc-golf baskets for War Memorial Park and staff will seek public input on course design before installation. The Park Conservancy has roughly $17,000 available from a fundraiser (including a match) for Reservoir Park improvements; those funds have not been allocated.
Commissioners discussed vacancies on the commission (four vacancies remain), application review by the city clerk and the commission's authority to recommend applicants to the board of directors. Vacancies and outreach for applicants will be tracked for future meetings.
The commission also received a written communication from the Little Rock Garden Club, read into the record by the chairman. The letter, from Janine Joiner, the club's president, described a Flower Show and emphasized litter abatement work, saying the Bush Creek watershed "is full of trash" and noting the club's recent contributions, including purchase of a litter boom for Coleman Creek and a native-plant garden at War Memorial Stadium.
No formal votes were taken on the projects at the March meeting. Commissioners asked staff to provide additional detail and timelines on grant applications and to continue public outreach for master plans and feasibility studies.
