Parks & Trails April 2019 Newsletter

City of Hot Springs April 2019 Newsletter

111 Opera Street Great Arkansas Cleanup 4
P.O. Box 700 5
Opening Day on the Greenway 6
Hot Springs, AR 71902
Bike Hot Springs! 7
Call: 501-321-6871
Email: [email protected] Northwoods Full Moon Ride 8
Series
Visit: www.cityhs.net 9
Friends of the Parks 9
Like us on Facebook: Provided by Ned Skoog 10
Hot Springs Parks & Trails 10
Growing Healthy Communities- Park News 11
Arbor Day 12
Hot Springs Final Taping with Terry Payne 12
Pavilions Power Washed 12
OUR STAFF New Cornhole Boards installed 13
Freeman Bridge Dedication 13
Director Hanging Baskets
Anthony Whittington Pruning with Allen Bates 14
Landscape Superintendent New Basketball Court 15
Pavilion Rentals 16
Brian Fisher Seasonal Reminders 17
Parks Superintendent 18
Trail Footnotes 19
Larry Golden Provided by Ken Freeman 21
Office Manager
Kathleen Fason Trail Watch Volunteer Program

Secretary Trail Etiquette
Jennifer Shinn
Trails in Your City Parks

Spa Pacers Run Clinic

Iron Ranger Challenge 2019

Vandalism Reminder

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• 4/2 This Month Is:
Trail Watch Volunteer Training
(by appointment only) Keep America Beautiful
111 Opera Street, 5:30 PM Lawn & Garden
National Kite
• 4/6 National Poetry
Great Arkansas Clean-up National Pecan
(pg. 4 for details)

• 4/9 Special Days:
Arts Advisory Committee Meeting
Parks & Trails Conference Room April Fool’s Day 1
111 Opera Street, Ste. A Children’s Book Day 2
12:00 PM National Walk to Work 5
Palm Sunday 14
• 4/18 Income Tax Day 15
Parks & Trails Advisory Committee Good Friday 19
Parks & Trails Conference Room Easter Sunday 21
111 Opera Street, Ste. A Earth Day 22
5:00 PM Admin Professionals 24
Arbor Day 26
• 4/23
Urban Forestry Advisory Committee
Parks & Trails Conference Room
111 Opera Street, Ste. A
6:00 PM

• 4/25
Friends of the Parks meeting
Chamber of Commerce
659 Ouachita Ave.
11:30 AM

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The City of Hot Springs Parks & Trails Department, Arkansas Master
Naturalists-Diamond Lakes, Hot Springs Young Professionals, Hot
Springs National Park Rotary Club, Hot Springs Friends of the Parks and
the Spa Pacers will be hosting a Great Arkansas Cleanup on April 6, 2019
from 8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
There are three locations along the Hot Springs Creek Greenway Trail
where you can check-in to volunteer.

1. Farmer’s Market, 121 Orange Street - the Arkansas Master
Naturalists-Diamond Lakes will be manning this station

2. Rotary Centennial Trailhead, 411 Hollywood Avenue - Parks &
Trails and Rotary Club will be manning this station

3. Utility Service Center Trail, Phase 3, our newest section of trail
at the corner of Adams and Seneca Streets - the Hot Springs
Young Professionals will be manning this station

Participants will receive a t-shirt and can pick up trash bags, gloves,
and grabbers at each station. Water will also be available.

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This an event hosted by the Hot Springs Parks & Trails Department in support
of Rails to Trails' Opening Day on the Trails nationwide event. There is no cost
for attending. Bring a bike to participate in a slow roll after the run/walk phase.

Part of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Opening Day for Trails national event,
the day is about celebrating trails in communities all across the nation! Come
pose for a selfie with the OPENING DAY frame. Visit www.railstotrails.org
for more information on this events everywhere you find trails!

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BikeHotSprings.com is the place to
go online for information and maps
of not only the Northwoods Trails
but all trails in and around Hot
Springs, AR. From intermediate
to advanced, there is a trail for
everyone who wants to get outside
and walk, run, or ride the trails!

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Wanna howl at the moon with the Northwoods crew? Shred Valkyrie and Blue Jay by the light of the

full moon? Well, turns out, you’ll have 10 chances to join others on a monthly FULL MOON GROUP RIDE in the
Northwoods.

The ride will be a no drop beginner to intermediate group ride. The route will depend on the skill level of the
participants. Rides will be around an hour on the trails. Interested riders will meet at the trailhead at 6:00 and begin
the ride by 6:30. It will be dark by the time riders return to the trailhead.

All riders must have a mountain bike in working order, helmet, front white light, rear red Light, back-up light source,
and water to hydrate.

After the ride, participants will continue the fun with a little grillin' and some tunes. Bring a chair! Don’t miss the fun...
Come shred with us by the light of the moon!

Sponsored by: Superior Bathhouse Brewery, Spa City Cycling, Parkside Cycle and Visit Hot Springs!

Who: All mountain bikers/All skill levels
What: Full Moon Rides
Where: Northwoods, Waterworks Trailhead
When: 5:30 p.m.
COST: FREE
Why: Full moons are awesome and mountain bikes are too.

*Contingent on weather, Follow Northwoods Trails - Hot Springs Trail Conditions Facebook group for weather
updates leading up to each event!

Full Schedule of Series includes (based on Farmers' Almanac):
March 20 - Full Worm Moon
April 19 - Full Pink Moon
May 18 - Full Flower Moon
June 17 - Full Strawberry Moon
July 16 - Full Buck Moon
August 15 - Full Sturgeon Moon
September 14 - Full Harvest Moon
October 13 - Full Hunter’s Moon
November 12 - Full Beaver Moon
December 12 - Full Cold Moon

Ned Skoog,
President

To renew your It’s spring, and your Hot Springs Friends of the Parks
membership board of directors encourages you to pick out a park or
or become a trail, and enjoy all of the budding out and blooming,
“Park Friend” nature provides us this time of year.
mail your annual Two opportunities, addressed elsewhere in this
membership fee newsletter are the Hot Springs Creek Greenway Trail
Family-$35 clean up on April 6th as part of the Great Arkansas Clean
Adult-$25 Up campaign and the Rails to Trails Conservancy’s
Youth-$10 Opening Day of Trails on April 13th. Friends of the Parks
Business-$50 has supported the creek cleanup day for years and we
Organization-$50 look forward to seeing the Rotarians, the Master
to: Friends of the Parks, Naturalists, the Young Professionals, and Spa Pacers all
P.O. Box 996, working together on April 6th to make the Hot Springs
Hot Springs, AR 71902- Creek Greenway Trail and the creek as litter free as we
0996 can. Friends’ check in station will be under a canopy by
the Farmers’ Market pavilion.

After nineteen years and much deliberation, we have decided to not put on
the Du for the Parks duathlon during the 2019 Memorial Day weekend.
Friends’ board members will be focusing on some other projects this spring,
however, the need for funding has not diminished. We are asking Friends’ members
and other supporters of area parks and trails to consider making a tax deductible
donation to HS Friends of the Parks to make up for not having our Memorial Day
weekend fundraising event. Please take a moment to think about the joy that parks
and trails bring to our community, and contribute to helping us partner with the City
and County in implementing portions of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan for
our area. And, as always, keep concentrating on getting our pathways “TO THE
LAKE!”

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P&T Director Anthony Whittington
and Hot Springs Urban Forester Allen
Bates attended the Arkansas Arbor
Day celebration at the Governor’s
Mansion in Little Rock on March 18.
Attendees planted a tree on
the grounds after awards were
presented.

The Garland County Master Garden-
ers donated a bench to be placed
along the newest section of the Hot
Springs Creek Greenway Trail. P&T
crews got the bench installed in time
for City Public Information Director,
Terry Payne, to hold her final taping
at that location. Payne is retiring in
April after 29 years with the City of
Hot Springs. The P&T Department
staff joined her on set to wish her
farewell and a big thanks for all of the
wonderful support and promotion she
has given Parks & Trails over the
years.

The bench was formally dedicated a
couple of days later and is a beautiful
spot to sit and relax while listening to
the creek babbling over the rocks on
its way to Lake Hamilton.

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Parks Cleaner Heather Palmer
recently power washed the
pavilions at Entergy Park. It makes
such a different just before the
Summer fun begins! Comments,
questions, and suggestions are
appreciated and a great way to let us
know what you think of the
parks and trails system. You
can provide comments, questions,
and suggestions through the form
provided on our city website at
www.cityhs.net and/or mail them in to
Parks & Trails, P.O. Box 700, Hot
Springs, AR 71902.

LOOK WHAT’S NEW! Parks crews have installed 2 sets of Cornhole boards near
Pavilion 1 at Family Park, 215 Family Park Road. Bring your own bags and join
family, friends at the park to play this lawn game.

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Visit Hot Springs honored City Trails
Coordinator Ken Freeman with a plaque
and dedication of a bridge named
“The Northwoods Freeman Bridge” in
recognition of all the unwavering
support and service he has given to the
trails and community in Hot Springs!

A crowd of friends and family showed
up for the log sawing (aka: ribbon
cutting) before heading off on the first of
the Full Moon Rides that are planned
this year.

Lots of trails are now open at the North-
woods and with the gorgeous spring
weather upon us there will no doubt be
throngs of visitors making their way
along the trails daily.

Be sure to make your own trek
to the Northwoods today and
marvel at the natural surround-
ings, beautiful lakes, fresh air,
and FUN! It’s a great way to
spend a day with family and
friends and make some new
ones too!

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The Garland County Master
Gardeners were hard at work
assisting Parks & Trails with plant-
ing the hanging baskets last month.
The baskets will be hung toward
the end of April and will adorn the
downtown area throughout the
summer months. The recipe for
building a basket of your own can
be found on the city website.

Hot Springs Urban Forester Allen
Bates hosted a free tree pruning
class at Entergy Park. A dozen or
more local citizens attended and
learned

UPDATE: Heller Construction is
currently working on installation of a
basketball court at Rev. James
Donald Rice Park, 511 Pleasant
Street in Hot Springs. Goal post
and sidewalk have been installed
and staff have been busy ordering
other amenities for the park.

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Renting a city park pavilion is quick and easy.
Cost is minimal and clean up will be, too!

• Birthday Parties
• Family Reunions
• Wedding Receptions
• Baby Showers
• Retirement Farewells
• Fishing Derbies

Cost to reserve pavilions:
$10 per hour for city residents
$20 per hour for non-city residents

Additional fees may apply for large groups and special events. Please refer to our
Reservation Policy for fee schedules or call the Parks and Trails Department at
501-321-6871 for more information.

To make your reservation, call or come by the Parks and Trails Department at 111 Opera Street,
or fill out an interactive online form at www.cityhs.net. Reservations must be made a least two
(2) weeks prior to your event date. Postings in the information kiosks of each park reflect who
has a pavilion reserved and when each week (Monday - Sunday).

Please Remember…. Flowers in Parks and on Trails
Motorized Vehicles
are NOT allowed on are beautiful. Please leave
Trails.
For your protection please be aware them in place for all
of the presence of FIRE ANTS. patrons to enjoy!

Although treated on a regular basis,

fire ants are particularly prone to be

active in parks and especially after a

rain shower. Please be alert!

Ken Freeman, The Trail Guy

It shouldn’t take much persuading
to get our trail lovers out on a trail
in a spring month like April, but,
just to make sure, there are trail
related events the first two
Saturdays in April in which you can
participate. Look for the info on
both the Great Arkansas Clean
Up on the Hot Springs Creek
Greenway Trail (HSCGT) and for
info on Rails to Trails Conservan-
cy’s Opening Day of Trails on page
4 and 5 of this newsletter. Come
on out, and have some fun with
other like-minded trail users. On
April 13th for Opening Day of Trails,
we will use the Spa Pacers’
Saturday morning run on the Group shot of family and friends at the Ken Freeman
HSCGT for the first event. Bridge Dedication at the Northwoods Trails

Participants can walk or run
any distance they choose. Following at 8 a.m., will be a Slow Roll bike ride, perfect for
families and children.

For those of you who carefully monitor our HSCGT progress, and I’m glad that you do,
the City Board approved the purchase of the next to the last parcel of land needed
for trail corridor. This parcel was in the vicinity of Television Hill Road between the
creek and the homes at Forest View. We are now almost ready to move that
project, Southern Trail, Phase 1, another step closer to construction. There is still a
segment of future trail corridor right-of-way needed, and it’s tied up in the ongoing
name change for Heritage Hot Springs Health and Rehabilitation. We’re hoping for
a resolution on that property donation soon, so we can get that trail segment out to
bid. As you probably remember, that section will start where the HSCGT currently
ends, and will have a trail connection to Television Hill Road.

Over the years, the Trail Guy has been fortunate in frequently being able to talk
about and promote the HSCGT on the City news videos on Channel 12. Terry
Payne, the City’s Public Information Director, has made all of those happen. An avid
supporter of the HSCGT, she has the vision of the positive effects trails have in a
community and promotes it whenever she can. She is retiring this month, and I was
fortunate to get to do her last video segment on the Happy Ole Troll section of the
HSCGT. We will miss Terry at work, but I’m counting on now getting to see her, as
a volunteer, on the trail!

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Improve the quality of life in Hot Springs by providing
and modeling proper trail etiquette and safety as
well as assisting users in trail navigation.

A 30 minute information class where you will receive
a vest and supplies will take place on the second
Tuesday of each month, March-September.

To sign-up call Kathleen at 501-321-6871 or
email [email protected]. For more information about
the Trail Watch program and proper trail etiquette go
to www.cityhs.net and look under the Parks & Trails

Department for Trail Watch.

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More and more Hot Springs residents and visitors are flocking to parks and trails for fitness and
fun! Whether you are on the Hot Springs Creek Greenway Trail or a city park trail, it’s good to
follow these simple etiquette rules so everyone has a safe and enjoyable time on the trails.
Be Safe
•Always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle
•Use bicycle lights and reflectors after dusk/before dawn
•Wear bright or light colored clothing so you’re easily seen
•Be aware of your surroundings
•Carry a charged cell phone and proper identification
•Communicate to family and friends where you’re going
•Carry water
•Utilize the buddy system when possible
•Observe posted park rules and hours
•Keep an eye on children
•Travel at a safe speed
•Slow down on curves
•Do not ride on wet or muddy nature trails
•Dismount and walk you bike on steep nature trails to avoid locking your breaking or skidding
Stay to right and pass with care
•Always pass on the left
•Ring a bell or give clear, verbal warning to nearby trail users before passing
•Yield to oncoming traffic when passing
•Bikes yield to pedestrians
•Single file in groups
•Motorized vehicles are prohibited on trails except motorized wheelchairs
Be Courteous
•Stay on the trails to protect vegetation and minimize erosion
•“Leave No Trace”- carry out what’s carried in
•Do not disturb wildlife
•Keep to the edge when stopped to allow others to pass
Be Responsible with pets
•Keep all pets on a short leash
•Pick-up pet waste

Park Name and Location Surface Type ADA Length

Baseball Trail Park - 1201 Whittington Ave Asphalt Yes 1/6 Mile
Yes 1/4 Mile
Chattanooga Park - 530 Chattanooga St Asphalt
1/5 Mile
Desoto Park - 1700 Park Ave Asphalt Yes
1/5 mile
Family Park - 215 Family Park Rd Asphalt Yes
1/4 Mile
Entergy Park - 530 Lakepark Dr Asphalt Yes 2/10 Mile
North Loop Trail Asphalt Yes 3/4 Mile
Wildlife Observation Trail
Natural Surface No 1/5 Mile
Water Tower Loop Trail
1/2 Mile
Lakefront Trail Natural Surface No 1/10 Mile
1/10 Mile
Fenceline Trail Natural Surface No 1/10 Mile
3/10 Mile
Eagle Scout Trail Natural Surface No 1 Mile
1/2 Mile
Playground Connector Trail Asphalt Yes 1/4 Mile
Pavilion on the Point Asphalt No
Sunnybrook Connector Trail Asphalt Yes 1/4 Mile
No 1/2 Mile
Hill Wheatley Park - 688 Majestic Lodge Rd Natural Surface 2/3 Mile
No 1/2 Mile
Hinsley Park - Kingsway and Meadowlake Natural Surface Yes 1/4 Mile
1/4 Mile
Wade Street Park - 300 Wade St Asphalt

Hot Springs Creek Greenway- Concrete Yes
Transportation Plaza Trail Asphalt Yes
Valley Street Creekwalk Concrete Yes
Jaycee Trail and Friendship Park Trail Asphalt Yes
Hollywood Trail Asphalt Yes
Blue Heron Trail
Asphalt Yes
Utility Service Center Trail

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