Wilson Park lies in the heart of Fayetteville and has been around for over a hundred and twenty years. Recently, it has been undergoing some renovations. Fayetteville’s Park Planning Superintendent Ted Jack says this is probably the most popular park in the city.
The first thing he points out is a new sidewalk they’re putting in, but it’s more like a whimsical walkway along the creek.
As Jack walks along the pathway, there are little treasures and knick knacks worked into the sidewalk. There are old medals from past park events, an old coke bottle that was made in Fayetteville, but some of the most eye-catching objects are the yellow bees and other insects that seem to be buzzing along the path.
There are also a bunch of foot prints. Some of them are meant to look like a giant troll had walked through, some are like little fairies had once lived there, but others are from actual people.
There are also some footprints that aren’t from people at all. Jack says when they were working on the new pathway, he noticed someone walking their dog and so he called the dog over to add some paw prints to the wet concrete. Along with paw prints, there are sea creatures and what looks like big shadows of birds overhead. Between all of the little treasures, it’s hard to look up from the ground.
By the end of the walk, he describes what appears to be a big clay head popping out of a little cave.
They will also be adding a small ampitheater on the south side of the creek.
He says the amphitheater and the new troll home will make the creek more accessible for kids, so they can safely get right into the water to play. Right now, the creekbed is experiencing a lot of erosion which makes it hard to access. Jack says they plan on using boulders and large rocks to create a longer lasting creek bed.
The pickleball courts will also be renovated soon. Jack says those renovations will be finished in the late summer.
Sam Chiburis is a student at the University of Arkansas who plays pickleball with his friends at Wilson Park regularly. He says he’s looking forward to the updates because even though he’s glad pickle ball is getting more popular, it means the courts get full quick.
Jack says the funding for these projects has come from different places. One is the hotel motel tax. The other is the city’s general fund that goes toward capital improvements. He says the whole park is like an ongoing project that he always has new ideas for, so there isn’t necessarily a specific end date for the improvements. Right now, he’s most excited for increasing accessibility to the creek.
Although there will be a ribbon cutting soon, Jack isn’t sure when it will be just yet. But you can be sure Jack will always be looking for one more thing to add to Wilson Park.
