Bentonville invite: Stop by new park site and sound off

BENTONVILLE — The city wants residents to tell them what they want in a park planned along Southwest Eighth Street, a city official said.

A drop-in public meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday outdoors on Melissa Drive, just south of Southwest Eighth, said David Wright, Parks and Recreation director.

Walmart donated 75 acres near the intersection of Southwest Eighth and Southwest I streets.

The land is split in three parcels — 34 acres northwest and southwest of the intersection. The other two pieces are west along Eighth Street, Wright said.

The park — called 8th Street Gateway Park in city documents — will span almost 100 acres when combined with a 23-acre donation from the Walton family, according to a December news release. The combined appraised value of the land was just more than $1.6 million, according to the Benton County Assessor’s Office.

Saturday’s event will feature food trucks and a heated tent. Guided hikes of the park property will be offered if the weather is favorable, Wright said.

The city Traffic Safety and Signage Committee will consider a request at its meeting today to close Melissa Drive from Southwest Eighth to the Northwest Arkansas Classical Academy parking lot from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Those who attend the meeting can fill out a survey asking what park amenities they want. The survey is also online on the Parks Department website, Wright said. The survey period will be open for about a month, then the data will be turned over to Port, the company doing planning for the park, he said.

The City Council at its Jan. 14 meeting approved a $445,000 contract with Port for its services. The Walton Family Foundation gave a grant to support design and development of the park, according to the news release. That money was allocated by the council.

Port will work on a series of park designs, Wright said. Port has offices in Chicago and Philadelphia, according to its website.

“They will take what we like and roll it into one,” said Wright, who envisions a passive recreation space for events such as festivals.

Andrew Moddrell, a partner with Port, said the company will attend Saturday’s event. Port staff members have been to Bentonville three times and have walked the park property, he said. The company helped with the survey, which 275 people had completed as of last week, Moddrell said.

The park will be the first Arkansas project for Port, Moddrell said. The company is working on a series of parks in the Knoxville, Tenn., area, he said. Port also has worked on several projects in Chicago, according to a list of clients and collaborators on its website.

Wright plans to hold a series of focus groups about the park. One will be for residents who live within one-fourth of a mile of the park, and another for the Northwest Arkansas Classical Academy on Melissa Drive, he said.

Susan Provenza, academy headmaster, said she would welcome the meeting for parents and staff.

“Our hope is that the trails will connect the future Walmart Home Office campus to the park so our associates can take advantage of even more green space and enjoy the natural beauty of our region,” said Dan Bartlett, Walmart’s executive vice president for corporate affairs, in the December news release. “As we recruit top talent from around the globe, we will continue to invest in Bentonville to help make it a great place to live, work and play.”

Port wants to present various concepts this summer, Moddrell said. It could be four to sixth months before a price tag for the park is established, Wright said.

Sarah Murders, who lives in north Bentonville, said she and her family would drive to use the new park. She has two children, ages 4 and 7. She said they like Citizens Park best, and they also like Dave Peel Park downtown.

The park — called 8th Street Gateway Park in city documents — will span almost 100 acres when combined with a 23-acre donation from the Walton family, according to a December news release.