Opinion: City of Conway discusses funding of second splash pad.
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| Image via City of Conway |
The Conway City Council will discuss funding for a second splash pad during its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Judge “Jack” Roberts District Court Building.
Aldermen will consider RJR Enterprises’ bid of $365,000 for construction of a splash pad at Fifth Avenue Park.
The lion’s share of the project, $292,000, will be funded through a Community Development Block Grant.
″The Conway Parks and Recreation will fund the remaining portion of the splash pad construction and will also provide additional parking lot improvements for 5th Avenue Park,” the proposed ordinance says.
As a member of the City of Conway and Faulkner County community for nearly ten years, I have multiple issues with this proposal.
Firstly, Conway, especially in the downtown district, is not complete in the slightest. Besides from the central quarter of the downtown square, the city is inhabited by dozens of empty shops and warehouses that are not safe. A quick walk in any direction from the central park in downtown will guide you to an outer district of empty-shelled buildings. Why should we be building a second splash pad in the park when our city isn't complete itself?
Second, the parks in Conway aren't very popular. Conway has become a hub of business and education, touting multiple colleges and taking the title of 'the city of colleges'. Most residents of Conway live in the outer suburbs of the city, closer to Greenbrier or Mayflower. A park is a family oriented location, but families don't spend very much time in Conway unless it's for dinner or shopping. A second splash pad won't be a new attraction, rather a waste of funds.
Finally, Christmas is coming soon. It's winter now. Why should a splash pad be considered now, of all times? What is the traffic level at the first splash pad? Is it so popular that a second one is required to fulfill the desires of all the children in the area? There are too many questions left unanswered for this to be a high priority topic!
Scratch the splash pad. Instead, let's fix our city first before we try to improve it.
Original story via The Log Cabin Democrat
As a member of the City of Conway and Faulkner County community for nearly ten years, I have multiple issues with this proposal.
Firstly, Conway, especially in the downtown district, is not complete in the slightest. Besides from the central quarter of the downtown square, the city is inhabited by dozens of empty shops and warehouses that are not safe. A quick walk in any direction from the central park in downtown will guide you to an outer district of empty-shelled buildings. Why should we be building a second splash pad in the park when our city isn't complete itself?
Second, the parks in Conway aren't very popular. Conway has become a hub of business and education, touting multiple colleges and taking the title of 'the city of colleges'. Most residents of Conway live in the outer suburbs of the city, closer to Greenbrier or Mayflower. A park is a family oriented location, but families don't spend very much time in Conway unless it's for dinner or shopping. A second splash pad won't be a new attraction, rather a waste of funds.
Finally, Christmas is coming soon. It's winter now. Why should a splash pad be considered now, of all times? What is the traffic level at the first splash pad? Is it so popular that a second one is required to fulfill the desires of all the children in the area? There are too many questions left unanswered for this to be a high priority topic!
Scratch the splash pad. Instead, let's fix our city first before we try to improve it.
Original story via The Log Cabin Democrat
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