Looking back at the community
Feb. 15, 2017, was the first story about the Facebook Group “Positively Bella Vista,” which not only set the tone for Facebook posts within the group, it also sent out volunteers to help neighbors with home and yard projects.
The Bike Park at Metfield Park opened in March and was immediately popular.
A 1.9-mill tax increase was passed May 9 for the Bentonville School District to build four schools over the next five years. The increase also pushes the district’s millage rate to 48.5, tying it with North Little Rock for the second-highest rate in Arkansas.
On July 12, the Friends of the Bella Vista Library presented the Library Foundation with a check for $155,000 to be put towards a new addition for the building.
Thousands of Bella Vistans saw the eclipse on Aug. 21. The library held an eclipse watching event.
In November, a few members of VFW Post 9063 met for what is probably the last time outside the Mercy Clinic. The post could not find members to serve in leadership roles.
National commander Denise Rohan visited the Bella Vista American Legion Post 341 in November.
Benches, repair stations and
water fountains were added at trailheads and, in the case of benches, alongside the trails in 2017. The benches were covered by donations from the Sunrise Rotary Club.
An April 29 shower flooded Bella Vista’s various valleys, damaging dams, golf courses and bridges, as well as bringing several onlookers and testing streets and emergency workers.
The Razorback Greenway finally grew into Bella Vista. A 2,700-foot northward spur from Lake Bella Vista to Mercy Way was approved by the city council in August and, once finished early in 2018, will feature an offshoot that connects the main trail to Cooper Elementary School and the Blowing Springs trailhead.
The 6.4-mile Bella Vista Bypass opened May 10, connecting the north end of Bentonville to the Highlands. Missouri is currently sourcing funds for its portion of the bypass.
Houses were selling fast and fetching good prices in 2017. In March, the Vista reported that Bella Vista had enough housing inventory to last 2.2 months.
Discussion has continued regarding the fate of the Lake Bella Vista Dam, which was damaged in May’s flood waters. Bentonville Parks and Recreation director David Wright said that the department is considering replacing the dam, removing it altogether and letting Little sugar Creek revert to a free-flowing stream or finding some sort of hybrid option.