Fort Smith parks director seeks ‘park warriors,’ touts amenities

Fort Smith Parks and Recreation Director Sara Duester said Monday (Jan. 12) that members of the Future Fort Smith Committee can be “park warriors” to help get accurate information out about city parks operations and budgets.

Deuster was on the committee’s meeting agenda and presented a 26-page outline of park funding, its various amenities, recently completed work, and future plans.

She said the city has 34 parks and maintains more than 650 acres of land, including 230 acres of soft surface trails. Of that land, around 30 acres is Oak Cemetery. Within the 34 parks, there are 5 community centers, 9.5 miles of trails and greenways, 12 basketball courts, and 10 tennis courts.

Deuster told the committee that when some hear the city has 34 parks they think the city has 34 large parks like Creekmore or Carol Ann Cross parks.

“We do have 34 parks that we maintain,” she said. “And with that, I think there is kind of a misconception of what a park is. When people hear, ‘park,’ they mostly think of something like Creekmore or Tilles or Martin Luther King Jr. park. Well, park is a broad term for a lot of different things. For example, the Anniversary Rose Garden .. that is classified as a park.”

She added that one park is a “bench with a flagpole, and then some landscaping around it.”

Deuster said the department’s maintenance crew is now supporting demolition efforts with park projects where possible, which has saved the department more than $300,000. She also praised a “strong group of volunteers” who primarily help with trail maintenance and upkeep.

Following are other parks department information Deuster provided to the committee.
• There are 64 department employees, or 40.9 on a full-time equivalency basis.

• Recreation events sponsored by the department include pop-up play days, movies in the park, pooch plunge, and the popular polar express train at Creekmore Park.

• Sales and use tax revenue provided to the parks system – for capital projects – since voters approved a tax plan in 2012 totals $39.089 million.

• Grants received by the parks department since 2012 total $2.296 million, and private contributions to support the parks totals $1.803 million.

• Park expenses to date total $42.281 million.

In response to a committee question, Deuster said the Parrot Island Waterpark, jointly owned by the city of Fort Smith and Sebastian County, is not part of the city’s parks department. Committee Chair Ashley Gerhardson asked Deuster what the committee could do to ensure city leadership continues to support parks. Deuster said she appreciates “park warriors” who help get accurate information to the public.

“Sometimes if one thing gets misinterpreted it just snowballs from there,” Deuster responded. “So just ask us questions, and if you don’t know how to answer something, reach out, because we want accurate information out there.”

She also said the committee can help push the message that a parks and recreation system should be considered an economic development tool.

“One comment was, ‘Parks don’t bring people to a city, jobs do,’” Deuster said about recent public input. “Well, I think that’s incorrect from our perspective because when people are looking to relocate for a job, they want to know what amenities are there.”

The Future Fort Smith committee works with the city on the city’s Comprehensive Plan. According to the city’s website, “The Future Fort Smith Comprehensive Plan is a document containing goals, policies, and actions that define and support a common vision and purpose. The Plan sets a direction that will be used by the City of Fort Smith to proactively manage future change.”