Up for discussion is what to do with Hindman and War Memorial golf courses, which closed earlier this year because of financial difficulties and loss of revenue. The closures marked a city initiative to reduce the 2019 budget by $2.1 million. A city-run survey of more than 5,200 responses gauged people’s preferences in what type of facilities they’d like to see at the repurposed golf courses. Among the prominent choices were walking, biking and hiking trails. Dog parks and soccer fields also garnered interest.
A 20-member task force met for the first time on July 31 to discuss ways of revitalizing two Little Rock golf courses that shut down to the public, KATV reported. Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. assigned the task force after the decision was made to close Hindman and War Memorial golf courses because of financial difficulties and loss of revenue.
The closures marked a city initiative to reduce the 2019 budget by $2.1 million, KATV reported. Finding a focus and narrowing down what can be achievable became the theme of the introductory meeting.
“People are going to be looking to these parks as dead spaces if there’s not something done in the coming months,” said Suzanne Grobmyer, a task force member. “I think you have to sort of pinch it off into sections that are manageable and attainable and meaningful.”
The City of Little Rock on July 19 revealed the results of a survey in which more than 5,200 responses were gathered, KATV reported. The survey gauged people’s preferences in what type of facilities they’d like to see at the repurposed golf courses.
Among the prominent choices were walking, biking and hiking trails, KATV reported. Other top contenders included dog parks and soccer fields.
“Trails is becoming one of the most sought after aspects of interest of the traveling public,” said Jim Dailey, director of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Task force members echoed similar concerns regarding the potential for flooding and how it could impact new facilities, KATV reported.
“We lost 20-40 days a year of golf because of flooding so whatever does go out there, whatever that land is used for, it has to be able to be underwater at points in time,” said John Eckart, director of the Little Rock Department of Parks and Recreation.
As for War Memorial, KATV reported, one grassroots organization aims to present a comprehensive plan for planting a so-called “Food forest.”
“It mimics the landscape of a natural forest but with edible plants so we would have some fruit trees, some herbs. It’s the kind of thing that unlike a community garden, it’s not organized in rows and beds, it really looks more like a forest,” Kristen Alexander, an organizer with the Little Rock Food Forest Initiative, told KATV.
Little Rock vice mayor Brenda Wyrick expressed apprehension at one person’s suggestion of a strip club taking over green space, KATV reported. City manager Bruce Moore emphasized not all ideas are off the table.
The task force will convene through December to formulate a plan then present to the Little Rock City Board of Directors, KATV reported.
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