After the first of each year, all the Joint Advisory Committees for the Bella Vista POA reorganize and hear about their annual tasks. On Monday, Jan. 12, the Recreation Committee was visited by POA Board of Directors Chairman Charlie Teal.
With the 50th anniversary of the POA this year, the Recreation Committee should be aware of special events and help when possible, Teal said. But the board also wants committee members to continue watching the amenities and reporting any problems they find.
An announcement is coming about trails, Teal told the committee. The committee composed their own trail plan in 2011 and since then professionals have been developing a Master Trail Plan with the help of the Walton Family Foundation and the Bella Vista Foundation.
Since the plan isn't quite final, Teal couldn't preview the announcement.
The committee also elected officers for the new year. Bill Puskas will replace Ron Jones as chairman and Charles Janzen will be vice chairman. Bill Allen, who is new to the committee, was elected secretary. Jane Barfield is another member new to the committee.
Teal provided an update on the plan for Branchwood. The committee submitted a white paper to the board last year about the former golf course and the board formed an ad hoc committee to look at the plan.
Teal said the committee is working on alternative uses for the former golf course and will soon hire a professional landscape architect to help. People who live in the area are involved in the planning, he said.
Lakes and Park Superintendent Vern Olafson provided an update on the Tanyard Creek restoration project.
The park, including the parking lot, is closed while work progresses, he said, although some people have been ignoring the barriers and using the park. Most of the work to stabilize the stream bank will be done this month, he said, but Phase Two will begin.
One bridge that was damaged in the 2013 floods will be replaced as soon as the concrete company can be scheduled. Also volunteers will help plant shrubs.
"It's going to look completely different when it's done," Olafson said, explaining that the brush was removed and new roads built in order to bring in heavy equipment to work in the area. He thinks the park will be opened again in February.
Recreation manager Clem Morgan told the committee that he has several low-cost events in the planning stage for the anniversary celebration including a "Dog Days of Summer" event at the end of the swimming season.
He plans to partner with the Animal Shelter and allow dogs into the pool for a day after the season ends. Morgan said he could use volunteers for several events.
Also, the fitness machines going in at the Metfield Clubhouse will be mostly focusing on cardio workouts, he said.
His budget won't allow for weight machines, but members can access those at Riordan Hall once or twice a week for that and do cardio at Metfield. The machines will be installed at the end of May because members have events planned and the room reserved on several dates this spring.
Community on 01/21/2015