Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Curtis 5-Acre Park Planned

Curtis will soon be getting a five-acre fun park for its citizens.

The park will be constructed through a $20,000 grant from the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, and requires no matching funds from the community.

According to Clark County Judge Grady Runyan, the park will include a 32 by 40 foot shed for picnics. The shed will have a concrete floor and tables. The rest of the park will have two swing sets, two slides, two spring horses, two large barbecue grills and a pair of horseshoe pits.

Curtis' park came about after Runyan received information about the grants from the Parks Department in July 1995.

He became interested in the idea and sent a letter of intent in, letting the department know Clark County wanted to participate.

Residents of Curtis had expressed a desire to have a park and agreed to donate five acres for one for the purpose of the grant.

In August, Runyan received a letter from the department informing him of a meeting in Hot Springs. At this meeting, he was shown how to fill out the necessary forms to apply for the grant.

From August until Jan. 9, 1996, Runyan heard nothing about the grant. On Jan. 9, though, he received another letter informing him to come to the Big Mac building in Little Rock to discuss the grant.

During this meeting Runyan was asked how many people of all age groups would be served by the grant should it be approved.

The funding was approved on Jan. 16.

Runyan said work will begin on the park in Curtis as soon as the weather breaks.

While the residents of Curtis are joyful about the grant and their new park, those in Manchester are not.

It seems Rick Brumley, a Manchester resident, also drew up plans for a park for his community.

The Manchester area, however, has a community center as a gathering place for its residents, and the grant went to Curtis.

However, this does not mean Manchester will never get a park. According to Runyan, the grant can be applied for again this year, as long as the application is turned in before August 15.

The county judge said he will be filling out the required paperwork in an effort to get a park for Manchester as well.

"It was a jewel," Runyan said of getting the grant for Curtis, though. "I'm pleased to be able to get a grant through for Curtis, and they are, too."