Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Where Is It?
Here’s a sight that thousands of people pass every week. Do you know where and what it is?
Hint: It is something that’s under construction in a Little Rock city park.
Hint 2: Although already it is mostly sand — sand dredged from the nearby Arkansas River — it won’t be complete until even more, and fancier, sand has been added. Also, there will be ropes, and people will climb on the ropes.
Think you know? See the answer on Page 3D.
The Little Rock Department of Parks and Recreation is building new sand volleyball courts and a Spacenet rope-climbing frame for kids in the pavilions area of Murray Park.
Mark Webre, deputy director of operations for the parks, says the pyramid-shaped Spacenet will stand atop a footing of “false-cement,” that is, a poured-rubber surface. “It’s all about making sure the kid falls on a safe surface,” he says.
The entire pavilion area sits on ground that is mostly sand — sand dropped by the Arkansas River or dredged from the river channel, he says. “When we go in there and dig, you’re going to see a lot of sand.” Although the volleyball courts are being dug out of this river debris, clean, white sand will be trucked in to top the courts and make the playing surface.
He expects the new areas to be ready for play in early August. — Celia Storey