Splash Pad Request Denied

PRAIRIE GROVE — The city’s application for a matching outdoor recreation grant to construct a new splash pad at Prairie Grove Aquatic Center was turned down by Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

John Beneke, director of Outdoor Recreation Grants Program with Parks and Tourism, said the state has the same problem each year during the application process.

“We have more good proposals than we have grant funds available,” Beneke said. “That’s where they ( Prairie Grove) fell. There wasn’t anything wrong with their proposal. It was fine.”

For 2014, the outdoor recreation grants program received applications requesting a total of $3.4 million and approved almost $2 million in grants, according to Beneke.

Applications go before a five- member Outdoor Grants Recreation Advisory Committee. Applicants make a five-minute presentation before the committee and then the “panel works amongst themselves to figure out the priority of funding,” Beneke said.

He said many factors can be considered but probably one of the primary factors in an application is need.

The committee’s recom- mendation is submitted to the director of Parks and Tourism. All recommendations were approved this year.

Larry Oelrich, Prairie Grove director of public works and administrative services, said a representative of the grants program encouraged the city to reapply next year.

The city applied for a matching outdoor recreation grant, hoping to receive $150,000 from the state and matching that with $150,000 in city funds.

“Anytime you apply for a grant and don’t get it, you’re disappointed,” Oelrich said, adding he also understands the state does not have funds available for all proposals.

“There are definitely cities and towns in Arkansas that have much better needs than we do,” Oelrich said. “It may be a result of being too successful. They looked at us and saw our great facility. They were very impressed.”

Attendance at the aquatic center has been down the past two summers, mainly because of rain and cooler temperatures.

But Oelrich has said another factor could be the pool is losing some of its appeal.

Ci ty off icials have discussed adding new features, such as a splash pad, to boost attendance.

In 2011, the pool had a record high attendance of 23,000. In 2013, attendance was 17,319 and this past summer, a record low of 16,007 people came to the pool.