Parks & Recreation Director Sam Dudley said at last week’s meeting that this month marked the finalization of Basin Park restoration project, capped by the grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony on May 22. He thanked the City Advertising and Promotion Commission, musician Roxanne Dickler, Jeff Danos and Mayor Butch Berry, saying the commission was ecstatic with the way the park turned out.
Dudley recapped accomplishments of the last two years, including new handrails, a new stairway at the south entrance, new steps to the bandshell, light post paint, bandshell improvements, refurbished fire bell, crystal placement underneath the bandshell, a trail map kiosk, new and refurbished benches and backdrop, restored and repainted gazebo, six trees planted, new stairs with handrails on the bluff, resurfaced concrete, restored fountain relocation of the Dough Boy statue and flagpole, new stairs at the entrance and a new Humpty Dumpty statue.
“We couldn’t have done all this without support from the Preservation Society, Main Street Eureka Springs, the arts council, Daughters of the American Revolution, Banks Family Foundation, and the contractors,” Dudley told commissioners.
He also said the first season of baseball at Lake Leatherwood was successful, and that a fundamental step has been completed in pursuit of a Watershed Grant by hosting an invasive species removal workshop.
Further upbeat news included mountain biking contractor, The Gravity Feed, sponsoring the Gravity Challenge on May 4, and Stephen Feilback creating and installing a three-foot frog at Sweet Spring.
Dudley said, yes, the budget is in the red, but major maintenance and repair items are finished, and lodging is doing well.
During public comments, a plea was made to offer unfluoridated drinking water in the park, perhaps by drilling down to the Roubidoux Aquifer.