Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Park gets moon walk and four more playground items

The City of Gurdon has put $10,000 worth of new playground equipment at the park over the past week.

Tambra Childres, treasurer and recorder, said the money is from the $35,000 received for recreational improvements at Gurdon from the Arkansas State Legislature.

Representative Tommy Roebuck worked toward the funding for here and brought the money to City Hall.

"We are about at the end of the $35,000 with these five playground items," Childres said.

"But we still plan on fixing up our playhouse caboose out there, with a volunteer labor force and donated materials. Troy Efird will paint it. Paul Williams will do some reconstruction on it.

"And we plan on buying some volleyball nets and basketball nets that are made of chain.

"The public should be aware that we are stepping up our law enforcement, concerning vandalism at the park."

Marshal Don Childres said defacing public property, criminal mischief and vandalism of public property carries a stiff fine, nearly $1,000 in some cases.

"We just want people to show some respect for our park," he said. "A lot of public funds were spent so the little kids of this area could have a better place to go. Lets leave it in tact and show some respect."

Tambra Childres said she would ask that concerned citizens call the Gurdon Police Department if they witness any destruction of property at the park. She said the telephone number is: (870) 353-2211.

Tambra Childres said the five toys consist of a moon walk, climbing walls, a spinning ride, a racoon rocker and a rabbit rocker.

City workers, along with volunteers from South Central Electric, dug holes for, and placed cement around, the toys.

Mark Francis, Gurdon Street worker at the park Thursday morning, said, "We also sturdied up the rocking horse that was already there and lined it up with the new coon and rabbit rockers. There is an old sky rocket in the mix that we spruced up too."