THIS EMAIL IS FROM JANET LANZA. PLEASE DIRECT ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE TO jxlanza@ualr.edu
OR CALL/TEXT 501-960-3739
Dear CAMN Members:
I have been serving on an ad hoc advisory group convened by Nate Coulter, Director of the Central Arkansas Library System, to plan a park on 2nd Street, south of the main library. Debbie Milam and Patrice O’Donoghue have also been serving as Nate’s “plant experts.”
This park is the subject of much debate and political wrangling (very much above my pay grade!). There are many competing constituencies and complicating factors, including the facts that 1) the land cannot be used for profit-making ventures because it was acquired using eminent domain, 2) the use of the land is governed by a complicated mix of government entities, government agencies, and NGOs, and 3) the “grand plan” is monumentally expensive. It appears to me that the land will become a park—the questions are when, what functions will be developed, and who will fund the development.
Nate Coulter has been advocating to use the space as a multi-function park, with space for library events, native plants (this is where Debbie, Patrice, and I come in), recreation, relaxing, and other activities. He has some funds to begin the establishment of the park this fall and winter and is willing to fund raise to provide additional funds. So far, he has not garnered enough momentum to overcome the obstacles erected by the political wrangling.
A LR Master Plan has been developed by a consulting company, Sasaki Design. They have just released a survey asking citizens and interested groups to comment on the proposed design. The link to the plan is https://downtownlittlerockmasterplan.engage.sasaki.com/. If you click on the link you will see a link to a survey, a link to the plans for the 2nd Street park (with so many images that it is confusing), and links to other information and other constituencies.
For your information, I have appended a copy of the plan that Debbie, Patrice, I, and two library employees have developed. The basic space design is one of the plans that Sasaki developed. Our contribution was to define the use of the spaces (Design Map). We also developed a narrative explaining our view (Design Recommendations). It is important to note that no one other than Nate’s committee has seen this plan. I am appending it so that it might give you ideas if you care to comment on the Sasaki plan. I do NOT recommend mentioning this plan in your comments—no one reading the comments will know what you are talking about!
Comments can be contributed until late Sunday, September 28.
I urge you to take time to examine the plan and provide your feedback. I’m happy to answer questions to the extent that I can.
Janet Lanza
CAMN Member
Outreach Co-coordinator, Arkansas Wild Spaces
Emeritus Professor of Biology, UALR
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