Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Swimming Pool Top Priority For Residents

Residents of Prescott want a public swimming pool.

This was the sentiment at a public meeting Tuesday, July 25, to set priorities for recreational improvements in Prescott.

However, the people made it clear they want the pool as the top priority and want it completed within one to five years.

Kathy Lee, with the Southwest Arkansas Planning and Development District, was on hand to see what residents wanted in the area of outdoor recreation.

She said grant money is available, but the city needs a list of priorities in order to apply for these funds. "We need input on how the park can be useful for all citizens. Grant money is available to get facilities for the park, but outdoor facilities only, nothing enclosed like a community center."

These grants, Lee said, are 50-50 matching, where the city must put up as much as it's going to get. However, the city's part can be in-kind and not actual cash. The maximum amount for the grant is $250,000.

She suggested the priorities be feasible and made based on cost and what can be done the quickest.

Her suggestion, though, was in vain as the majority of people wanted a public swimming pool placed at the top of the list.

"It'll be hard to get a pool," she said, "because of its seasonal use. Pools are expensive and hard to get funded."

These words fell on deaf ears as those present at the meeting continued pushing for a public pool.

The other priorities included new playground equipment, a walking track, making the park more handicap accessible, acquiring more property and expanding the park, better lighting and security, a biking trail, picnic tables and grills and basketball goals, for the one to five year goals.

The five to 10 year goal were ambitious as well as the people want more and better restrooms, softball field and soccer fields.

Lee said if the city does apply for any of the grants available through the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, the list can be revised.

In the meantime, the list suggested will be examined, with costs looked into so the city can see what it can afford to do.

Prescott Mayor Howard Taylor said the city has tried on a number of occasions to get a public pool at the Johnson Sports Complex, but has been unsuccessful so far. Each time the city has applied for such a grant, he said, it's been rejected.

Lee said getting a pool may require a lot of fund-raises by the public to help raise the money needed.

She told of Camden getting a series of grants to renovate an existing pool. Not only was it difficult for the city to get the money, the renovations had to be done in stages.

Now, she said, Camden officials wish they'd never renovated the pool because it's a drain on public funds to keep maintained.

Lee said there's a lot of competition for these grants, but Prescott stands a good change of getting one.

But, she added, once property is developed, it must always remain a park, and the utility lines to it have to be buried.

The deadline for applying for these grants is Aug. 25.