Playground to stay after sinkhole fix

Sinkholes that delayed last week’s opening of North Little Rock’s all-inclusive playground in Burns Park won’t force the relocation of equipment already set up, city Parks and Recreation Director Terry Hartwick said Friday.

The $250,000 One Heart Playground, with features created specifically for special-needs children and adults, was to open Tuesday. Sinkholes discovered beneath the rubber surface that was already in place forced parks officials to cover depressions and rope off the new playground.

A geotechnical engineer’s report said fill materials used to level the ground sank after several rains in the past two months, causing a void to form between those materials and the surface, Hartwick said.

The playground is financed by private contributions, Hartwick has said.

“I even considered moving it,” Hartwick said about the playground. “We’ve already paid for the playground equipment. We got sidewalks put in. The areas where we put the playground is beautiful, right under some trees. So moving it somewhere else I don’t think is an option.

“We just need to fix it now,” he said. “It may cost a little bit more.”

A concert already scheduled to raise more funds for the playground will be July 15 at the Burns Park Soccer Complex.

Tickets are $10 for ages 13 and over. Ages 12 and under will be admitted free. Tickets and more information are available through the Parks Department, which can be reached at (501) 791-8538 or by email at parksandrec@nlr.ar.gov.