Parks staff report summer program growth and outline senior center timeline

Chairman Quentin Whiteside convened the Parks and Recreation Commission's June meeting and opened a series of staff reports detailing summer programs, safety work and facility projects.

Recreation staff reported 286 youth registered in the youth baseball program and 83 in T-ball. Summer day camps across six locations reported attendance numbers ranging from about 90 to 210 children per site; Dunbar reported about 210, Stevens about 120, East Little Rock 100, West Central 90, Romine 150 and Chico 150. Staff also said the Little Rock Open tennis event (May 24–31) drew significant player participation and an audience in the low thousands. The museum recorded roughly 3,023 visitors in May and opened a Thomas Hart Benton exhibit on May 19.

Michael Washington, introduced as senior affairs coordinator for the new senior facility, said he has 20 years in parks and recreation and joined the department from the Conway Community Center. Parks Director Leland Couch described the senior facility as a multimillion-dollar addition facing construction challenges but on track; Couch said the department’s goal is to host a grand opening toward the end of the year, with construction and outfitting likely taking several more months.

Courtney Perry, the department’s safety training coordinator, told commissioners that baseline safety work (training, facility inspections, AED and fire system checks) and playground inspections continue; staff are coordinating an ADA transition plan with a contractor to advance compliance across sites and are integrating 311 reporting to route hazard reports to the safety team.

The reports did not propose new legislation or require a vote. Commissioners thanked staff for the detailed briefings and asked for continued updates on the senior facility timeline and ADA-related work.