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City of Hot Springs August 2017 Newsletter

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Published by CHS Parks & Trails, 2017-07-28 16:03:50

Parks & Trails August 2017 Newsletter

City of Hot Springs August 2017 Newsletter

City of Hot Springs
August 2017 Newsletter

Page 10

 Tikes, Trikes, and Trails
 Landscaped Medians
 Employee Training—Making a difference!
 Food Day
 AND MORE!

111 Opera Street  8/1
P.O. Box 700 Trail Watch Training,
111 Opera Street
Hot Springs, AR 71902 5:30 pm (call ahead for availability)

Call: 501-321-6871  8/6
Email: [email protected] Friendship Day

Visit: www.cityhs.net  8/8
Arts Advisory Committee,
Like us on Facebook: 111 Opera Street
Hot Springs Parks & Trails 12:00 pm
Growing Healthy Communities-
 8/16
Hot Springs Nutrition Education Committee Meeting
111 Opera Street
3:00 pm 2

 8/17
Parks & Trails Advisory Committee
111 Opera Street
5:00 pm

 8/19
National Honey Bee Awareness Day

 8/21
Total Solar Eclipse Day

 8/29
More Herbs, Less Salt Day

 8/31
Friends of the Parks,
Chamber of Commerce
659 Ouachita Ave
11:30 am

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…. The City of Hot Springs
Motorized Vehicles Noise Ordinance is
are NOT allowed on Trails.
enforced from 10:00 PM
For your protection please be aware of the to 7:00 AM in all city parks.
presence of FIRE ANTS. Although treated on a
regular basis, fire ants are particularly prone to Fireworks are NOT
be active in parks and especially after a rain allowed in any
shower. Please be alert!
of the City Parks.

3

The David F. Watkins Memorial Park was the
focus of a fundraiser last month at the new Itz
Gud Fud food court at 910 Park Avenue. To date,
this business has raised a total of $1,350 for
the new park. The Park Avenue Community
Association continues to raise funds with the
Hot Springs’ Civitans pledging money for the
playground and the Sunrise Rotary Club donating
bike racks.
Local architecture firm Taylor Kempkes donated
the site plan and construction drawings and
Landscape Architecture firm EDG, Inc is donating
a landscape plan. Native pollinator and butterfly
plants along with some edible landscaping plants
are planned.
Parks & Trails would like to thank everyone
for their contributions and support. This very
special park will be a wonderful addition to our
community for generations to enjoy.

4

Parks & Trails employees take pride in the beautiful medians they work so hard to create each
season. Summer medians are in full bloom around town and their design is no mistake. Landscape
Superintendent Brian Fisher and Greenhouse Manager Daryl Edwards put a lot of thought into the
color, shape, and composition of these medians. They are planted twice a year to reflect seasonal
changes in Hot Springs and Parks crews work hard to keep them free of weeds and debris all year long.
Several local citizens have commented recently that the medians have never been more beautiful and a
visitor to Hot Springs called in to say how much she loved the flower baskets and medians in downtown
Hot Springs during her visit.

5

Parks & Trails Supervisor Ken Edwards attended the Annual
Christmas Expo in Lebanon, Tennessee, July 13 -15, 2017.
This educational event was an opportunity to meet
premier Holiday Display vendors showcasing the latest
products, as well as to learn techniques from leaders in the
decorating industry.
“This Expo is the perfect way to become inspired and to pick
up innovative ideas from around the country that will help
me continue enhancing and improving our holiday displays
in downtown Hot Springs,” Ken said.

Parks Maintenance Superintendent Larry Golden is recognized
through the National Recreation and Parks Association as a Certified
Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI). Larry inspects city park
playgrounds every week and conducts continuing education training
with Parks & Trails employees to ensure that playground safety is a
top priority.

“We are constantly on the look out to ensure that our playground
equipment is safe and free from hazards that can result from regular
use” Larry said. “We immediately repair or replace any items that
need attention to provide a safe and friendly environment for all our
park visitors.”

Parks & Trails employees recently attended Safety Meetings conducted by the Arkansas Department of
Labor. Topics such as “Heat Stress: How to recognize it and what to do,” “Work Zone Safety,” and
“Ergonomics” were discussed. Training sessions are required by the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) and a variety of sessions are offered to city employees throughout the year to
keep them informed and up-to-date with national standards. In addition, an Employee Safety Committee
headed by the city’s Health and Safety Coordinator, Teri Vann conducts random inspections of city
buildings and Workman’s Comp reviews each month. Parks Maintenance Superintendent Larry Golden
serves on that team along with several other city employees. Safety first is making a difference as Parks &
Trails employees have reported less accidents in 2017.

6

New signage has been installed near the low water bridge
at Friendship Park along the Hot Springs Creek
Greenway Trail. The sign on the left is a graphic of the greenway trail showing “YOU ARE HERE” and the
sign on the right tells the history of the greenway corridor. Native Americans once used this same path to
reach downtown Hot Springs which was then commonly known as “The Valley of the Vapors.”

7

Take A Kid Tikes,

Mountain Trikes,

Biking Day & Trails

Riders will be introduced to basic If it rolls or strolls, it fits! Strollers,
mountain biking skills by an experienced wagons, big wheels, tricycles, bicycles
mountain bike rider. Youth age 9 and up
with or without training wheels (no
will be supervised on the trail & will motorized vehicles please). Come join
complete at least one loop of the .75 mile the parade! All age groups will be on

natural surface Water Tower Loop Trail. a .25 mile paved, accessible trail.

All bikes will be inspected on-site by event officials & helmets are required.
Skill level of the riders will determine which group they will ride with.

All riders receive certificates of participation. Snacks and water will be available.

Registration begins at 9:30 am
Event starts at 10:00 am

Sponsored by:

8

The Trail Guy is accustomed to seeing Mayor Pat
McCabe with his bicycle, mostly as a flash of color in the blur of
a group of bike riders on a Tuesday training ride, or when he’s
doing the bike portion of a “brick” (the term for a multi-sport
training session) when he’s preparing for a duathlon or
triathlon. I had to throw in the definition to keep the academic
accreditation of this article, ha-ha. But, what was he doing in
business attire with his racing bike on the Hot Springs Creek
Greenway Trail (HSCGT)? Mayor McCabe was being inter-
viewed for an article for Arkansas Business, and chose to be
pictured with his bike on the trail. The Trail Guy certainly wants
to thank the Mayor for taking that opportunity to promote a
healthy lifestyle, fitness, and, of course, the HSCGT.

Another group of trail users I spotted this month were
transporting themselves with a wide variety of modes of
transportation (running, biking, and scootering) under their
Mom’s supervision of course. They were on a specific mission,
though to find a spot in the creek to cool down on a hot day.
The Trail Guy was tempted to join them. Water sports is not
listed for HSCGT activities, but creative recreation is applauded.

Utility Service Center Trail, Phase III continues, with the
contractor currently facing the challenge of cutting out and
removing rock (some are actually large boulders) to establish
the trail corridor at the prescribed width. Cate, Inc. has also
started grading the trail on the southern end and has started
packing in the base material, as well. I know it’s hard to be
patient when waiting on new trail, but it shouldn’t be long
before I’ll be able to talk more about the boardwalk for this
section, too.

Before I close, I want to thank a special group of our citizens,
the Master Naturalists, for their volunteering in hot weather
for a project on the Entergy Park trails. They revegetated two
spots on the Water Tower Loop Trail where unwanted
cut-through trails had become visible and confusing to trail
users trying to stay on the marked trail. Barry Horner, also a
Friends of the Parks board member, organized the project, with
approval of Dan Smith, their President, and they were joined by
two other Master Naturalists on work day to complete the
project. We are blessed to have volunteers who help enhance the quality of life in our community through their civic
mindedness. Bring some water, and I’ll see you on the trail.

Ken Freeman
Trails Coordinator

9

Back to school doesn’t mean you can’t still spend time at
your city parks and trails. As a matter of fact there’s no
better way to learn about nature and science than outdoors
in the natural state. Holding class outside has always been
popular with every age group. Teachers across the state
enjoy taking their students to city parks and trails to explore
and investigate nature and all her mysteries.

Kids of all ages enjoy learning when they are engaged in
activities that are fun and interesting. There’s nothing better
than seeing a butterfly up close with a magnifying glass or a
brightly colored bird with binoculars. Teachers, parents, and
children are more likely to develop an interest in the
environment and their wider surroundings when engaged in
regular outdoor activities too.

But, the best reason to take learning outside is the vast
opportunity for understanding what is being studied. No
matter what age you are there’s always something new to
learn when you’re outdoors. Your city parks and trails are an
excellent place to explore creeks, ponds, tree canopies,
wild flowers, native plants, and animal habitats. You’ll also
be healthier and it’s all FREE! We invite you to begin or
continue your exploration today!

10

Ned Skoog Your Friends of the Parks board of directors is always on the
President, lookout for ideas and ways to help promote parks and trails, and,
Friends of the Parks most notably, to help the City implement its Bicycle and
Pedestrian Master Plan.
To renew your
membership Although most of the Friends board’s focus is on the Hot Springs
or become a Creek Greenway Trail (HSCGT), we try to be alert to any
“Park Friend” opportunity to facilitate future trail development as well. On July
mail your annual 6th, two of our board members, John Simpson, vice-president, and
membership fee Barry Horner, treasurer, responded to one of those opportunities.
They attended, on behalf of Friends of the Parks, the Arkansas
Family-$35 Commissioner of State Lands’ auction of tax delinquent properties
Adult-$25 of Garland County. Out of the hundreds of properties listed from
Youth-$10 Garland County, Friends identified four properties of interest. One
Business-$50 parcel was associated with HSCGT, two were associated with the
Organization-$50 future Stokes Creek Greenway Trail, and one was associated with
the planned Fairdale-Trivista neighborhood connector trail.
to: Friends of the Parks,
P.O. Box 996, Hot Springs, Our representatives spent a long time waiting for each property to
AR 71902-0996 come up for auction, but were able to win the bid on three of the
properties, and didn’t bid on the fourth since no one else bid on it.
www.hsfriendsoftheparks.org Since no one bid on that property, Friends will recommend that
the City request it be donated by the Commissioner of State Lands
HYDRATE to the City to be used for public recreation, to preserve green
infrastructure, and to protect a riparian buffer area. If none of
DRINKING ENOUGH WATER? those parcels are redeemed by their owners, Friends of the Parks
will offer to donate the three we won the bid on to the City. So,
the City stands to be four parcels closer to the implementation of
the Hot Springs Bicycle Pedestrian Master Plan. As Friends of the
Parks, we should take a certain amount of pride in creatively seek-
ing and finding ways to help make our community a better place to
live and for getting our trails ever closer “TO THE LAKE”!

11

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
Chattanooga Park - 530 Chattanooga St Asphalt Yes 1/4 Mile

Desoto Park - 1700 Park Ave Asphalt Yes 1/5 Mile

Family Park - 215 Family Park Rd Asphalt Yes 1/5 mile

Entergy Park - 530 Lakepark Dr Asphalt Yes 1/4 Mile
North Loop Trail Asphalt Yes 2/10 Mile
Wildlife Observation Trail Natural Surface No 3/4 Mile
Water Tower Loop Trail
Natural Surface No 1/5 Mile
Lakefront Trail
Natural Surface No 1/2 Mile
Fenceline Trail
Natural Surface No 1/10 Mile
Eagle Scout Trail Asphalt Yes 1/10 Mile
Playground Connector Trail Asphalt No 1/10 Mile
Pavilion on the Point Asphalt Yes 3/10 Mile
Sunnybrook Connector Trail Natural Surface No 1 Mile
Hill Wheatley Park - 688 Majestic Lodge Rd Natural Surface No 1/2 Mile
Hinsley Park - Kingsway and Meadowlake Asphalt Yes 1/4 Mile
Wade Street Park - 300 Wade St
Concrete Yes 1/4 Mile
Hot Springs Creek Greenway- Asphalt Yes 1/2 Mile
Transportation Plaza Trail Concrete Yes 2/3 Mile
Valley Street Creekwalk Asphalt Yes 1/2 Mile
Jaycee Trail and Friendship Park Trail Asphalt Yes 1/4 Mile
Hollywood Trail Asphalt Yes 1/4 Mile
Blue Heron Trail
Utility Service Center Trail

Okay, so after a long summer of taking it easy, sleeping in, and staying up late you might find
it hard to jump back into the school routine. Your schedule will fill up quick and there will
be no time for exercise and fitness. You might find yourself wondering if there’s any need
to exercise with all the ‘running’ you do at school. Well, regular exercise can help you to
transition into your new schedule easier. Here are just a few benefits of regular exercise
that should have you penciling in a few workouts a week.

Regular Exercise:
 Boosts creativity and energy

 Improves mood

 Clears the cobwebs to improve critical thinking and problem solving

 Enhances the ability to relax so that test anxiety will be a thing of the past

 Helps control weight

 Improves coordination and balance for sports and other activities

 Heightens self-esteem and self image

 Helps to relieve pain

 Improves and strengthens the immune system so you can fight off colds and the
dreaded flu

 Promotes better sleep

So, be sure to add some regular exercise to your routine even before the school year
begins and don’t forget that it’s also a lot of FUN!

14

15

Begins: Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 11:47 am Countdown

Maximum: Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 1:18 pm
Ends: Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 2:46 pm

16

17

Get involved in your “Thriving Community”
and help us grow healthy in Hot Springs!

Choose the committee you are interested in
and contact a leader to learn more.

Community Gardens:

Jodie Sprague - President of the HS Area CG Network

Phone: 501-802-3469

Email: [email protected]

Dave Reagan - Volunteer, Park Haven CG

Phone: 501-538-8283

Email: [email protected]

Walkability:

Jean Wallace - Director, City of Hot Springs Parks & Trails

Phone: 501-321-6870

Email: [email protected]

Nutrition Education:

Alisha Chatman, Levi Hospital, Director of Community Health

Phone: 501-622-3325

Email: [email protected]

Worksite Wellness:

Minnie Lenox - Director, City of Hot Springs Human Resources

Phone: 501-321-6840

Email: [email protected]




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