North Little Rock notebook

New fire station officially opens

North Little Rock formally opened its first fire station built in the city since 2001 Thursday.

The new station, in the Levy neighborhood, has been in the planning and development phase since 2017. The station will include a decontamination room, positive pressure ventilation, a sprinkler system and a “safe room” that is rated to withstand a Category 4 storm.

The fire station will serve the Levy area and provide secondary response crews to almost every other fire district in the city.

Engine 6 and Rescue 6 will be kept at the station. Engine 6 and Rescue 6 are the busiest in the city, according to a city Facebook post.

Rescue 6 (formerly Rescue 5) is one of the only two companies in the city that carries enhanced extraction and rescue equipment to help people involved in emergencies such as motor-vehicle accidents.

Funland planning Easter activities

The Parks and Recreation Department will have an Easter event at Burns Park Funland on Saturday.

The “Burns Park Eggstravaganza at Funland” will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Children can meet the Easter Bunny and take part in crafts and games for $5 per child.

The event will also feature an egg hunt and food trucks. Participants will have access to all of the rides at the park.

More information about tickets is available at nlrpr.org.

Library reopening its Argenta Branch

The William F. Laman Library will allow community members to enter the first floor of the Argenta Branch on April 5 for the first time since the library closed because of the covid-19 pandemic.

The library will enter Phase 3 of its reopening plan next month, which allows library patrons to browse for books and movies by appointment.

Community members can call (501) 687-1061 to request 20-minute browsing sessions beginning on the hour or halfhour between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mondays-Fridays beginning April 5.

Mask-wearing is required. When patrons arrive at the back entrance for their appointments, they can call staff members to let them know they are there.

Parks OK’d to add two more rangers

The North Little Rock

City Council unanimously approved the addition of two park rangers to the Parks and Recreation Department last week.

The City Council voted Monday to approve an ordinance that would create the two new Parks and Recreation Department positions.

This was Parks and Recreation Director Steve Shields’ first-ever request to the council.

The decision increases the

Parks and Recreation Department to 237 employees, 92 of which are full time. The additional staff members will work in the Parks Maintenance Department.

Mayor Terry Hartwick said the department needed the additional manpower because of the challenges of maintaining the city’s more than 30 parks.

Ian Hope was the only city employee with the title of park ranger.