Bryant Parks Department releases survey for master plan

The Bryant Parks Department has recently begun work on a master plan and is looking for input from the community. The purpose of the document is to provide a comprehensive plan to both maintain and further develop the parks system. The public is encouraged to take part in a survey so that the department can gather suggestions. Two other, more narrowed surveys, will be released at later dates.

Throughout the year, the Bryant Parks Department will send out these various rounds of surveys to the public. The first, which is now available, lets the department know what the residents want to see in the parks. Any suggestion is welcome in this survey, which will be used by the master plan steering committee to gather a broad idea of the city’s wishes. They will then release the two other surveys with increasingly narrowed options until there are four to five clear priorities from the community.

The plan will then be presented to the Parks Committee and Bryant City Council. If approved, the council will suggest sources of funding and a plan of action. The Parks Department hopes to have the plan approved by the end of the year.

Bryant Parks Director Chris Treat has been working toward a master plan since he took over the position in 2016. When Bishop Park was built, the otherwise wonderful addition for the community highlighted the need for more funding and planning in the parks system. Treat said this is not an uncommon effect for parks systems, but it can be hard to foresee.

By the time Treat arrived as parks director, Bishop Park was already beginning to show its age and other parks were in bad shape. Treat described two steps they immediately took.

“We took care of what we had,” Treat explained. “We also brought back the parks in disrepair.”

The department acquired $4 million in bond money to be used for improvements. Over the last four years, the department has invested in Ashley Park, the dog park at Alcoa 40 Park, lighting at Midland Park and repairing Springhill Park. Now, the glaring issues have been fixed, so the focus has shifted to be more proactive.

“We need a plan so the momentum can continue into the future,” Treat said.

The master plan’s new shift is meant to help the department better meet residents' desires as the parks system develops and moves forward. Bishop Park has now met most of the stakeholders’ wishes, so it and the other parks must now be equipped to satisfy the next generation of residents.

However, one major issue remains. Treat emphasized that the Bryant Parks Department is missing a regular source of funding for its projects. Currently, all big capital investments come from either bond money or city savings. Therefore, one of the largest components of the master plan is to include options for funding for both maintaining existing parks and building new ones.

“The community wants these projects,” Treat said. “But we’re being kept in response mode.”

For example, if the sales tax is doing well, then funding is easier to obtain. However, this limits what the department can pursue because the funds depend on other factors. This also restricts progress on new facilities because any existing problems also need to be addressed. A steady source of money would greatly benefit the department.

“We need a funding mechanism coming to the Department year in and year out,” Treat commented. Treat proposed that an existing income area, sports tourism, could be restructured so that the Bryant Parks Department could reinvest earnings into the parks. Bryant is one of the best areas in the state for sports tourism with over 60 events yearly. Tournaments and other events bring people to the city, spending money on facilities, hotels, tickets, and other aspects. However, most of the money does not come back to the department despite the parks playing host, Treat said.

Treat said that if the Bryant Parks Department could somehow reap those benefits of sports tourism, it could use the funds to better the parks. This is one of the most important goals of the master plan.

“Everyone in the community will feel the benefit of sports tourism dollars,” Treat said.

The master plan is sure to inspire a plethora of good ideas for the parks system. However, Treat said that they need a clear funding mechanism to bring them to fruition. If they can develop that source, it will just be a matter of completing the projects.

This is where the community can participate through the surveys. There are a few large concerns that have been voiced numerous times already. These include the fact that most of Bryant’s growth is north of Interstate 30 but most parks are south of the interstate, the lack of connection in the trail system, and questions of how sports tourism will expand when Bishop Park is already at capacity.

It is the steering committee’s job to make sure every concern is heard. The committee is made up of individuals from organizations and stakeholders with investments in the Bryant Parks Department. There are representatives from businesses, schools, sports

and service organizations, and other specializations. The goal is to have a committee made up of people from different areas with individuals tied to specific parks.

“We try to make sure every slice of Bryant is represented,” Treat remarked.

Treat’s largest goal with the surveys is to figure out how to hear from people that the department does not typically hear from. Some people may not know about the surveys or be able to access them. It is important for the department that these individuals have a voice as well.

It is also important to Treat that the Bryant Parks Department works with Benton Parks and Recreation. In his view, Bryant and Benton are a region that should work together when planning the parks. Both cities are growing exponentially with close

proximities to each other. He believes that what city a park is in is not important to residents. Rather, they just want to visit a great facility.

“We’re working with Benton to make sure the parks complement each other, not compete,” Treat elaborated.

The group that is helping to develop Bryant’s master plan, Mcclelland Consulting Engineers, is also helping Benton to develop their own plan. Treat was pleased at the possibility of hearing from both cities.

The survey and more information about the master plan can be found at https://city-of-bryantparks-master-plan-update2022-bryant.hub.arcgis. com. Updates are also shared on the Bryant Parks Department Facebook page.