FARMINGTON -- Local residents making comments on a conceptual master plan for Creekside Park saw ideas they liked and others they did not like.
Some of the favorite parts that people liked were areas set aside for a dog park and a splash pad.
"I love the dog park," said Rita Stiles, who lives near the Farmington park located along Broyles Avenue and Hunter Street. "I have two dogs and I walk them all the time."
Malinda Rector of Farmington supports a splash pad. She brought copies of comments written on her Facebook page from mothers who want a splash pad in Farmington.
"There's tons and tons of interest for a splash park," Rector said, noting Fayetteville does not have one and she thinks a splash park in Farmington would draw people from all around the area. "Mom groups all say we need a splash park."
The master plan does not include soccer fields but Rector recommended fields to help grow a city soccer league for children in the Farmington area. She thinks the high school will have a program in the future and Farmington needs to start now providing opportunities for children in Farmington to learn to play soccer.
Alta Planning and Design of Bentonville has worked for about two months to develop a draft master plan for the 61-acre Farmington city park. Using information from the park grounds, ideas from a steering committee and comments made during a public workshop in June, the firm drafted a conceptual master plan for citizens to look over at a second public workshop held last week.
The plan completely redesigns the current park and is structured so that it can be built in stages, said Erin Rushing, project manager.
"If you built it totally out, it would cost $7 million today," Rushing told people gathered around a table looking at the site plan. He said he estimates it would take 15 years to build out the park as shown on the draft master plan.
The plan is designed so the city can select different components, based on money, and build those. Rushing described it as a "grocery list" or "laundry list," and said the city could pick out specific items on that list.
Mayor Ernie Penn attended the public workshop to view the map and he said he believes Alta has produced a good plan for the city.
"It gives us some conceptual ideas and this is what we wanted. We can pick and choose," Penn said.
Several residents who live adjacent to the park did not like small parking lots located at the end of their streets. Penn agreed with those residents, noting he believes the city should protect the integrity of the people who live in the houses around the park.
The map shows parking lots with six to eight spaces at the dead-end streets of Saxon, Spokane, Marvel, Wilson, Candace and Ruth streets. These parking lots would provide access into the park. Penn wondered about security at the parking lots and also noted the additional costs to put in so many small parking lots.
Residents who live on those streets asked that the small parking lots be taken out of the plan.
"This brings more traffic onto those streets," said Laurie Adkins. "I'd rather not have parking lots at the end of streets."
She pointed out many children play in those areas and increased traffic could present safety hazards.
Adkins liked other parts of the plan and said it appeared to her to be doable.
Penn said he also is against tearing out amenities already in the park, such as the playground and existing walking trail. Instead, the draft plan shows several smaller playgrounds or play areas throughout the park and a walking/biking trail that follows along the creekbed.
"That's a waste of money," Penn said, noting the city probably spent more than $125,000 on the playground, picnic tables and benches in the park.
The plan shows a larger community garden and an orchard. Penn said these areas could be "maintenance nightmares."
Basically, Penn said, the draft master plan has "too much stuff in it and is too busy." He added that was not trying to be negative. "I'm trying to be realistic."
The master plan proposes amenities for almost everyone. It has a walking/biking trail that follows along the creek that could possibly connect to the Razorback Greenway one day. Other ideas drawn out on the map are a 9-hole disc golf course, two rest rooms, several playground areas, large community gardens, an apple orchard, farmer's market, outdoor amphitheater, multi-use courts for basketball and tennis, several nature or natural surface trails, large open grassy spaces, practice fields, pedestrian bridges across the creek and several pavilions.
Dustin Gamble, who lives on Robb Street with his wife and children, thought the master plan was "fantastic," except for an area set aside for a new city public works facility. The plan shows the facility would be located on vacant, park land behind houses on Robb Street. The facility would be next to Broyles Avenue.
Gamble said many children live on Robb Street and nearby streets.
"My neighborhood was very excited when we heard about the land being donated. They will be pretty bummed out to learn you are thinking about parking trucks back there," Gamble said at the public workshop.
"Why cannot that be a large play area for these kids?" Gamble asked. "These streets are full of kids, a lot of younger, growing families. I have a big concern with gravel trucks and machinery back there."
Rushing said he would take comments from the public workshop and possibly make changes to the draft master plan, based on comments. When completed, the plan will be submitted to Farmington City Council.
General News on 08/12/2015