By Tia Lyons
Staff Writer
Within the next month, the El Dorado-Union County Recreation Complex board of directors should know if they have secured a state grant to begin implementing a master improvement plan for the facility on ChampagnolleRoad.
In the meantime, board members are scouting out smaller projects that can be funded from the complex budget.
Mayor Frank Hash has presented a grant proposal to the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism Outdoor Recreation Grants Advisory Committee.
The committee held hearings Oct. 25 for matching grant applications for the fiscal 2019 grant cycle.
Greg Harrison, rec board chairman, also attended the hearings in Jacksonville and commended Hash on his presentation.
“I think we had a good presentation. The problem is their revenue for this sort of thing is down 30 percent,” Hash said during a regular rec board meeting Nov. 2.
The maximum award is $250,000 for the 50/50 matching grant.
Harrison said the El Dorado City Council and Union County Quorum Court have each agreed to pitch in cash and in-kind services to meet the match should a grant be awarded for the complex.
Board members have said that while that while the maximum amount may not be awarded, any grant funds would help to jumpstart work on the first phase of a two-tiered master plan to upgrade and expand the complex.
The plan was drafted in 2014 by CADM Architecture, Inc. The rec board has worked since then to raise funds to implement the plan, which was tweaked earlier this year by ETC Engineers and Architects, Inc.
Phase one includes the completion of two existing youth fields on the south end of the complex and the construction of two adjacent fields, all with restrooms, concession stands, breakrooms and Americans With Disabilities Act accessibility.
Four youth soccer fields have also been incorporated into phase one, which carries an estimated price tag of $1.5 million.
At an estimated $4.5 million, the second phase includes the addition of a college-style baseball field; renovation of the RV site; a splash pad; and expansion and repaving of the parking lot.
The rec board is also looking into artificial turf for the four youth fields on the north end of the complex.
Board members have said the turf would allow for considerable cost savings on maintenance, irrigation, and supplies and more time for complex staff to concentrate on other duties at the facility.
As 2018 draws to a close and the complex heads into its slow season, board members are eyeing other projects that need attention.
Last month, the board agreed to bring concession stand operations in-house by selecting a proposal from the Boys and Girls Club of El Dorado, who is contracted with the city to manage the complex.
With the vote, the board opted out of renewing a contract with the Duran family, the former owners of Kozy Kitchen.
The arrangement with the BGCE is scheduled to go into effect next year to bring more revenue to the complex. The club proposed that 15 percent of concession revenue would be paid to the complex.
Board members have said they will re-evaluate the concessions contract next year to gauge how the arrangement is working out.
David Lee, executive director of the BGCE, submitted a list of equipment that will be needed, including three freezers — one chest and two upright — two refrigerators, a stove, four warmers, a popcorn machine and twometal tables.
Lee said he had researched prices, and board members, at the behest of Hash, said the applicable purchases would “go through the proper bid process.”
Scott McMurry, new athletic director for the boys and girls club, said the club has also sought quotes to replace the lights in the concession stand and board members also agreed to bid the project.
Board members asked Lee if he had looked into prices to erect a sign thanking Clean Harbors for a $60,000 donation for new playground equipment that was installed earlier this year near the Dumas Pavilion.
Hash and Robert Edmonds, director of public works, said the city can make and install the sign for Clean Harbors.
Parking lot
Hash steered the discussion back toward the parking lot, calling on board members to keep parking lot improvements as a top priority.
He asked if there had been any further discussion from Union County Judge Mike Loftin to repave the parking lot. Loftin previously said the county could do the work.
Harrison, a member of the Union County Quorum Court, said he would speak to Loftin about the matter.
“While we work on hardware and concession stands, we need to be working on that parking lot,” Hash said.
Board members agreed, citing several issues, including the poor condition of the parking lot, traffic congestion and a single entrance into the complex off Champagnolle Road.
McMurry suggested a temporary road, saying the road could be built near the RV site and routed behind the Van Hook Pavilion.
“It can get pretty nasty out there when you have multiple sports going on and there’s no way out,” board member Avo Vartenian said.
Harrison said that during a recent rainout, McMurry waited to turn off the lights to allow people time to make it to their vehicles.
“The problem was, people didn’t leave until he turned off the lights. Luckily, there was enough daylight left for them to make it to their cars, but everyone left at the same time and by then it was congested,” Harrisonsaid.
Hash also said pine trees are encroaching on the area south of the Dumas Pavilion where a communications tower was removed in 2016. He said the area could serve as parking space.
“The pine trees are taking it over. We need to get that thing dozed off or at least get gravel on it,” the mayor said.
Additionally, board members pointed to an area that was cleared of trees last year to expand the parking lot just north of the south fields.
The clearing was spearheaded by rec board member Will Crowder, also a member of the quorum court and owner of a local tree service.
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or by email at [email protected].