As the El Dorado Parks and Playgrounds Commission works to secure funding for the next phases of a master plan to improve and upgrade city parks, the group is also focusing on smaller maintenance projects and other issues.
During a regular, monthly commission meeting on April 25, Commissioner Karen Hicks said she had spoken to city parks and green space manager Jay Lewis, who was unable to attend the meeting, and received an update on efforts to spread dirt and mulch in the playground area of Mellor Park.
While in the park in February, Hicks noted that the ground was low and had washed out underneath a ladder on a play system, making it difficult step onto the ladder.
"So, we're all go on adding dirt and mulch to the play area," Hicks told commissioners.
She said she had reached out to One City Movement -- a nonprofit organization that was founded in 2022, initially, to build stronger relationships between local churches and the community and has since grown to connect with the city of El Dorado and other groups -- about volunteering for the project.
In early February, OCM held its first community service day by helping to organize a community-wide cleanup to prepare for the Arkansas Governor's Conference on Tourism, which was held in El Dorado Feb. 26 - 28.
In addition to clearing litter from city streets during the cleanup, volunteers also laid mulch in Old City Park, one of the city's busiest and most highly-visible public parks.
Because of the group effort, the work that was done in Old City Park was "efficient" and a "great way to plug people in to the parks," Hicks said.
She said she learned that the next OCM service day is not scheduled until July.
"And I came back with we're not waiting until July. If we can just get one church (to) send us 15 people, we can have that done pretty quickly, so we're just waiting to hear back from them and (Lewis) says that as soon as we have a date, he'll have everything delivered," Hicks said.
Hicks said she had also asked Lewis about adding lighting in the southeast corner of Mellor Park near the playground, per a request from a neighborhood resident.
She has since said that Lewis checked into the matter and learned that the project would be cost prohibitive.
On April 25, Hicks said Lewis responded to a report of a loose pole on a swing set in Oakhurst Park. She noted that Lewis lives near the park and responded quickly to tend to the issue.
An old slide had also been removed from Oakhurst for safety reasons, said Hicks.
Commissioner Glenn Faust inquired about extra chains to hang on basketball goals in city parks, saying that he noticed one of the goals had been "totally trashed" on the basketball court in Mitchell Park.
Hicks said she would take the matter back to Lewis.
Commissioner Greg Harrison also asked about the status of adding fencing for the dog enclosure in Mitchell Park.
Commissioner Alexis Alexander said she had heard from a resident who had visited the park, said a friend's dog has escaped from the enclosure and requested that the city close the park until "it's safe."
"I told her that we were working on the fencing ... so, then I sent to y'all that I wanted to add this to the agenda," Alexander said.
She said Faust had gone to the park and could not find any gaps in areas that had not already been patched up to prevent dogs from escaping the enclosure.
"The two patches that I patched that looked like an ATV had (run) into it are still damaged -- no new damage, nothing's pushed out," said Faust.
Alexis said she thinks there are areas in a back corner of the dog park that are washed out and Faust said the enclosure needs drainage infrastructure.
"The whole thing is just a mucky mess. The biggest ... gap I saw was the fence going in and out ... the gate," Faust said.
Commissioners noted that Robert Edmonds, director of public works, is working to secure funding to install new fencing for the dog park and Hicks said there have been discussions about adding gravel to help prevent areas from washing out.
A large drainage ditch runs along the west side of Mitchell Park and stretches from a creek near Yocum Elementary School, sending water toward Bayou De Loutre and making some areas in the park vulnerable to wash-outs.
Hicks said a print ad for Lions Club Municipal Golf Course is expected to appear in the next edition of the El Dorado Insider's Relocation Guide.
The EPPC has been working with the Diamond Agency advertising firm on an effort to promote the golf course -- including the creation of a new logo and design.
The Relocation Guide is typically released during the first quarter of the year, but Hale said the Visitors and Relocation guides were "flip-flopped" so that Visitors' guides would be available for attendees to the Arkansas Governor's Conference on Tourism.
The EPPC also nominated Anjanett Walker-Kemp to fill a vacancy on the EPPC.
The recommendation will be forwarded to Mayor Paul Choate, who will present the nomination to the El Dorado City Council for a vote.
City Clerk Heather McVay said the other applications will remain on file in her office for future consideration.
Anyone who is interested in serving on a city board or commission may request an application by calling McVay at 870-881-4877.