By Tia Lyons
Staff Writer
EL DORADO — Now that the El Dorado-Union County Recreation Complex is under new management, has new lighting on two fields and has two new board members, the facility’s board of directors is looking ahead to help make it the premier athletic complex of South Arkansas.
The Boys and Girls Club of El Dorado is a week into a contract for services to manage the complex.
After sifting through several candidates, the complex board announced last month it had selected the Boys and Girls Club as the facility’s new manager, effective May 1.
The club and complex board members agreed that Steve Harrell, athletic director for the B&GC, will be the point person for the management team.
During a meeting last week, board members ironed details of how the new arrangement will work between the club and two groundskeepers for the complex, Mark Conway and Perry Franklin.
Maintenance, preparation for tournaments and other events, post-cleanup, policing and enforcing rules about prohibited articles — such as alcohol — and other such issues will flow through Harrell, board members said.
John Turbeville, co-chairman of the complex board, said the board is working with the B&GC, Franklin and Conway to address issues that were reported during a one-day tournament that was recently held at the complex.
The tournament organizer previously told board members that beyond dragging the fields, complex personnel was not available to provide further assistance in setting up for the tournament or help during the tournament.
Additionally, the concession stand closed early that day due to “confusion” that arose with another event that was hosted at one of the two pavilions at the complex, board members said.,
“Those are the kinds of things were sorting through,” Turberville said.
“We’ve got good employees, a good team with skill sets that they bring to the table,” he continued. “Now, we have a manager that will bring that all together. We think the Boys and Girls Club will provide that guidance that the employees need and the community needs and will make our team even better.”
Turbeville said the $40,000 contract for services, which is paid pro rata by the city and Union County, is an annual agreement that will expire on Dec. 31.
“At the end of the year, the board can evaluate how things went, and the Boys and Girls Club can evaluate how things went and see if we need to continue or do something different,” Turbeville said.
Part of the manager’s responsibilities will be to market and promote the complex to draw more play and tournaments there.
A new amenity that will be part of that campaign is lighting on the two fields just west of the Dumas Pavilion.
During a complex board meeting on April 24, Turbeville and Dianne Hammond, a board member and El Dorado alderman, said crews were fine-tuning the new LED lights and electrical circuitry to optimize the new lighting system.
Hammond said then that the work had to be done before the lights could be turned on in order to secure the warranty for the system.
The lights have since been lit, and city officials said the fields are seeing plenty of after-dark usage.
The lighting project was funded by a state grant with an $83,230 match provided by the El Dorado Works economic development tax.
Dirt work has been completed for two other, adjacent fields and Turbeville said fencing is needed.
The work is a continuation of the first phase of a master improvement/expansion plan that was completed in 2014.
“The expenses for the lights aren’t going to be as great because half of the light poles are already there; the transformer is already there,” Turbeville said.
Another part of the plan is a concession stand, restrooms and covered bleachers for the four fields.
The removal of a communications tower last year opened up room for additional parking on the south end of the complex.
“There’s a big need for parking already. We need money to expand parking. Where that tower came down, it’s ready to be expanded right now,” Turbeville said.
Just east of the site and south of the El Dorado High School baseball and softball fields is space that will be fitted for a new boys baseball field, 15 - 18-year-olds, as part of phase two of the master plan.
But phase two, Turbeville noted, is “way down the road.”
Dirt work is also underway for new playground equipment close to the Dumas Pavilion.
The former playground was just north of the new fields, but the old equipment, which had become outdated and hazardous, was removed.
Clean Harbors donated $60,000 to purchase new equipment, and complex board members, and the play area will be moved closer to the pavilion to allow parents easier visibility while sitting in the pavilion.
The complex board recently welcomed two new members, Greg Harrison and Avo Vartenian.
Turbeville said the pair will bring fresh ideas to the board, noting that Harrison has young children involved in Tee-ball, is involved in American Legion baseball, and plays in one of the adult softball leagues.
“So, Greg can see the full spectrum from Tee-ball on up. We’re excited to have him on board,” Turbeville said.
Vartenian is active in local youth soccer programs, and Turbeville said Vartenian and the Boys and Girls Club can help find ways to utilize the complex more for soccer games.
To thank sponsors, a photo day will be held at the new fields at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
Murphy USA and Emrich and Scroggins donated the scoreboards and Home Depot provided fence slats for one of the fields.
Turbeville said corporate/company sponsorships are welcomed, and he said tax dollars are also needed to implement other components of the master plan.
“The complex is going to continue to get better. We have some new people on board and new ideas, and the only way that’s all going to come together is with people working together,” Turbeville said. “We want to do anything we can to promote the complex for kids to participate.”
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or by email at tlyons@ eldoradonews.com.