c h a p t e r o n e : e x i s t i n g c o n d i t i o n...

21

c h a p t e r o n e : e x i s t i n g c o n d i t i o n s

l i t t l e r o c k p a r k s a n d r e c r e a t i o n m a s t e r p l a n22

23c h a p t e r o n e : e x i s t i n g c o n d i t i o n s

p r o j e c t s e t t i n g

Little Rock, the capitol city of Arkansas, is situ-ated along the Arkansas River in the center ofthe state. At the junction of five major physi-ographic regions, Little Rock boasts a variety oflandscape characteristics. From rolling hills inthe west as the Ouachitas begin their ascent, tothe Mississippi River delta and Arkansas Rivervalley in the east and north, the city possesses adistinctive character. Although Little Rock’s popu-lation is a modest 183,000, it serves a metro-politan area of over half of a million people. Thecity offers a diverse range of parks with an abun-dance of recreational opportunities. Nearby stateparks include Pinnacle Mountain State Park, theToltec Mounds State Park, and the Plantation Ag-ricultural Museum, all within twenty miles of down-town Little Rock.

The existing parks system in Little Rock encom-passes nearly 5,800 acres of land, half of whichhas been developed for active and passive rec-reation uses. The remainder includes sizeableholdings of undeveloped areas, such as theFourche Creek Bottoms, Gillam Park, and TwoRivers Park.

e x i s t i n g p a r k s a n dr e c r e a t i o n s y s t e m

Although located amid a beautiful wooded to-pography, Little Rock’s pattern of open space islargely defined by its extensive system of flood-plains, steep slopes, and undeveloped land. Themajority of publicly accessibly open space is lo-cated within the city’s parks; many of which aresited along or within these floodplains and steepslopes.

The City of Little Rock’s park system is diverse inthe recreation types it provides and the settingin which its parks are located, see Figure 1.1.Older sections of the city have a more traditionalparks system containing primarily smaller neigh-borhood parks within the lot and block patternof the city. These parks are distributed in a some-what even pattern. Larger parks emerge pre-dominately in the early suburban areas of thecity. Generally located greater distances apart,these parks often provide both neighborhoodand community park services. The outer-mostareas of the city severely lack public park facili-ties. These areas have experienced explosivegrowth over the last two decades, and publicparks have not kept up with the outward expan-sion. Additionally, parks and facilities in olderneighborhoods are generally in worse conditionthan parks and facilities in newer areas of thecity.

Arkansas State Capitol Building

Playground at War Memorial Park

Rebsamen Tennis Center at University Park


Due to Little Rock’s topography and well-de-fined drainage system, the city has many op-portunities for park and open space lands.Open space is either publicly or privately owned,and generally provides informal recreationalservices, such as hiking and biking. Such openspace opportunities are explored as a part ofthis plan.

Public open space generally serves five differentfunctions:• Parks and recreational uses• Conservation of natural resources (not nec-

essarily for public use)• Public health and safety (protection of steep

slopes, floodways, etc.)• Growth management and aesthetics to bal-

ance urban sprawl and prevent cost of ex-tensive infrastructure

• Farmland and forestry

History of the Little Rock Parks System

Lands for public use have existed in Little Rocksince the 1840s. Small beer gardens started bythe German settlers were first established, fol-lowed by larger, more elaborate parks desig-nated by the business community. Over timethese “publicly-owned” parks would be closedand subdivided, particularly as the City grew andland became more valuable.

Little Rock’s first publicly-owned park was CityPark, now known as MacArthur Park. Initially,this was the City’s Fort (since 1840) and wasdeeded to the City by the Federal Governmentin exchange for 1,000 acres that today com-prises Fort Roots (north of the City). The sec-ond true park was Fair Park, now known asWar Memorial Park, which initially housed theState Fair Grounds and was established as acity park in 1925.

In 1913, the prominent landscape architect JohnNolen prepared the city’s first park system mas-ter plan. His ambitious and farsighted plan guidedthe early development of the park system. Hisvision is apparent in the site location and cre-ation of Allsopp, Boyle, Rebsamen, East LittleRock, Gillam, Fourche Creek, and Riverfront parks.

Allsopp Park was established in the Pulaski Heightssection of the city in 1927 when Frederick Allsoppoffered the land and commissioned a park mas-ter plan. John Nolen, creator of the 1913 mas-ter plan, was hired to design the park. This wasfollowed by the donation of Boyle Park, whichwas deeded to the City by John F. Boyle in 1929,shortly after the crash of the stock market.

The great depression and subsequent establish-ment of the National Recovery System (NRS)brought about tremendous improvements to themunicipal park system. By 1939, Little Rock had

MacArthur Park was the city’s first park.

Boyle Park was deeded to the City in 1929.

Allsopp Park was established in 1927.


a functioning zoo, its first municipal golf course,picnic shelters, miles of trails and numerous otherimprovements. Most of the work was completedby the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) andthe Works Progress Administration (WPA). Evenwith this system, parks were still operated bythe Public Works Department, until the Depart-ment of Parks and Recreation was formed in1944.

Little Rock has experienced rapid growth fromthe 1960s to today. Parks were built in manyearly suburban neighborhoods, however devel-opments which occurred since the 1970s and80s have few parks owned and maintained bythe city. Today the organization holds nearly 5800acres of park lands in 64 park parcels (53 ofwhich are developed) throughout the city.

Periodic preparation of park plans were com-piled in 1963, 1967, 1971, and 1983. Not all ofthese plans were embraced by the citizens ofLittle Rock, resulting in low levels of public aware-ness and support, as well as inadequate imple-mentation.


Summary of Existing Parks

The Little Rock parks system includes severalparks and recreational types, which this plan ad-dresses:n Land for informal play and passive recre-

ationn Faci l i t ies for team sports and active recre-

ationn Open space for passive recreation, educa-

tion, and conservationn Linear space for trai l networksn Recreational and cultural programsn Implementation strategies

The current parks system consists of approxi-mately 5800 acres of land. Of that, roughly2000 acres are currently undeveloped, while3200 acres are within developed parks, seeFigure 1.1, Table 1.2, and Table 1.3.

The parks system contains regional, commu-nity, neighborhood, and mini parks. Regionalparks are greater than fifty acres in size andserve recreational needs of the entire city andother nearby populations. Community parksare smaller (twenty to fifty acres in size) andmay include sports fields, open play areas, andspecialty facilities. Neighborhood parks areoften less than 20 acres in size and serve asmaller area, typically adjacent neighborhoods.These parks contain playgrounds, practicefields, and smaller play areas and courts. Mini

parks are less than five acres in size, andare often limited to playgrounds and courts.Little Rock’s system of developed parks con-tains approximately 2350 acres of regionalparks, 370 acres of community parks, 150acres of neighborhood parks, and 25 acresof mini parks. Current special facilities (WarMemorial, Riverfront and the River Market,Terry Mansion, and Stephens CommunityCenter) comprise approximately 275 acres.

Little Rock’s undeveloped park land is largelycomprised of the Fourche Creek bottoms,1700 acres of swamps and wetlands sur-rounded by the city. Additional undevelopedpark land can be found in west Little Rock,primarily located on unbuildable slopes, aswell as in portions of Hindman and Gillam.

Unorganized play and passive recreation

Team sports and active recreation

Open space for passive recreation,conservation, and education


Figure 1.1: Existing Parks


Table 1.2: Inventory of Developed Parks

Pla

ygro

un

d

Bas

ketb

all P

ad

Vo

lleyb

all

Ten

nis

Co

urt

Soc

cer F

ield

Pra

ctic

e/A

ctiv

e R

ec

Fo

otb

all F

ield

Lig

hte

d S

oft

bal

l

Pra

ctic

e S

oftb

all

Lig

hte

d B

aseb

all

Pra

ctic

e B

aseb

all

Co

mm

un

ity C

ente

r

Po

ol

Res

troo

ms

Pav

ilio

n

Fis

hin

g/B

oat

Lau

nch

Pic

nic

Pat

h/T

rail

(mile

s)

Go

lf C

ou

rse

(# h

ole

s)

Co

mm

un

ity

Gar

den

Par

kin

g

Lo

cati

on

Acr

eage

Tota

l Acr

es

(b

y ca

teg

ory

)

Tota

l Par

ks

Large Urban Parks (50 acres+)Allsopp 1 2 1 1 1 6 2 Cantrell & Cedar Hill 150.0Boyle 1 2 2 1 1 3 48 2 36th & Boyle Park Rd. 243.0Gillam 1 1 1 1 1 Gillam Park Rd. 350.0Hindman Golf 18 Y Brookview Dr./end of 65th St. 190.0Interstate 2 2 2 6 2 1 6 0.8 Arch near I-30 71.0Jack Stephens Youth Golf Academy 18 6620 Falls Blvd. 250.0Murray 2

2 6 2 3 8 1 34 2 Rebsamen Park Rd. 166.0Otter Creek 1 4 1 1 1 3 Stagecoach Rd. 147.0Rebsamen Golf 2 27 Y 3400 Rebsamen Park Rd. 380.0Reservoir 1 1 2 1 1 1 9 Hwy. 10 & Jackson Reservoir 58.0Two Rivers 3

2 2 1 County Farm Rd. 340.02345.0 11

Community Parks (20-50 acres)Benny Craig 1 2 1 1 8 Gum Springs & Rosemoore 22.0Brodie Creek 4 1 1 2 0.5 Tall Timber Blvd. 44.0Curran Conway 5

1 1 1 1 1 24th & Monroe 25.0East Little Rock 3 2 3 2 1 1 1 10 6th & Townsend 30.0Hindman Community 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 Brookview Dr./end of 65th St. 20.0Kanis 6 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 19 0.8 Rodney Parham & Mississippi 46.0Knoop 7 2 0.8 Ozark Point 45.0Morehart 1 2 2 1 1 1 6 0.5 Mabelvale Cut-off Rd. & 4th St. 43.0Remmel 1 1 1 1 1 I-440 & Lindsey Rd. 27.0Southwest Complex 1 1 1 6401 Baseline, Suite A 38.0University 8

1 17 12 12th & Leisure Lane 27.0367.0 11

Neighborhood Parks (5-20 acres)Barton 1 1 Roosevelt Rd. & Dennison St. 5.0Butler 1 1 1 1 6 Rodney Parham & Old Forge 7.0Dunbar 9

1 2 1 1 1 1 16th & Chester 6.0Granite Heights 1 1 1 1 2 38th & Confederate Blvd. 10.0Kiwanis 1 2 1 1 4 0.3 Foster & 42nd St. 12.0Meriwether 1 2 1 1 1 0.5 "M" & Florida 10.0Ottenheimer 1 1 1 1 1 4 Dahlia & Azalea 11.0Pankey 1 1 3 Russ & Piggee Sts. 5.0Pinedale Cove 1 1 5.0


Table 1.2, continued

Pla

ygro

und

Bas

ketb

all P

ad

Vo

lleyb

all

Ten

nis

Co

urt

Soc

cer F

ield

Pra

ctic

e/A

ctiv

e R

ec

Fo

otb

all F

ield

Lig

hte

d S

oft

bal

l

Pra

ctic

e S

oftb

all

Lig

hte

d B

aseb

all

Pra

ctic

e B

aseb

all

Com

mun

ity C

ente

r

Poo

l

Res

troo

ms

Pav

ilio

n

Fis

hin

g/B

oat

Lau

nch

Pic

nic

Pat

h/T

rail

(mile

s)

Go

lf C

ou

rse

(# h

ole

s)

Co

mm

un

ity G

ard

en

Par

kin

g

Lo

cati

on

Acr

eage

Tota

l Acr

es

(b

y ca

teg

ory

)

Tota

l Par

ks

Neighborhood Parks (5-20 acres) (continued)Rebsamen Parkway 10 3 Rebsamen Parkway 30.0Richland 1 Richland Dr. 5.0Southside 1 1 1 1 3 Whitmore Cir. 13.0Swaggerty 2 33rd & Fulton 6.0Thom 1 1 2 0.3 Eva Lane 7.0Wakefield 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.3 Fisher & Woodson 10.0West End 1 1 1 1 1 7 36th & Potter 10.0

152.0 16Mini-Parks (under 5 acres)Birchwood 1 1 Birchwood & Creek Cir. 3.0Centennial 1 2 1 1 1 15th & Wolfe 2.0Cheatem 1 2 1 3 6th & Kimball 2.0Fletcher 1 1 1 2 I-630 & Woodrow 2.0Granite Mountain 2 1 #1 Granite Mountain Cir. 2.0Hanger Hill 2 2 1 6 12th & Hanger 2.0Ninth Street 1 2 9th & Pulaski 3.0Oak Forest 1 14th & Pierce 1.0Pettaway 1 1 2 21st & Commerce 1.0Prospect Terrace 1 1 3 "L" & Tyler 4.0South Little Rock 1 2 1 2701 S. Main 2.0

24.0 11Special FacilitiesMacArthur 11

1 2 1 1 0.5 Y 9th & McMath 39.0Riverfront 12

1 1 2 9 1 Y LaHarpe Blvd. & Markham 33.0Terry Mansion 13 7th & Rock Sts. 2.0War Memorial 14 1 6 1 1 1 1 29 1.3 18 Y Markham & Fair Park 202.0Stephens Community Center 15

1 0.0 276.0 5

Totals 47 37 8 52 11 7 4 6 0 15 3 7 4 25 26 4 259 20.6 81 3 0 3164.0 3164.0 54

1 Historic Register Site 6 Skateboard Park 11 Museum, Art Center2 Leased from Corps of Engineers 7 Leased from Water Department 12 Amphitheatre, History Pavilion and River Market3 County (600 acres) and City shared park 8 Adult Leisure Center and Tennis Pro Shop 13 Decorative Arts Museum4 Open Space Preserve 9 Community garden property leased from LRSD 14 Zoo, Fitness Center and Golf Course5 Ballfield and restroom leased to UALR 10 Includes Jimerson Creek area 15 12,850 s.f. facility with gym, classrooms, office space


Table 1.3: Inventory of Undeveloped Parks

Pla

ygro

un

d

Bas

ketb

all P

ad

Vo

lleyb

all

Ten

nis

Co

urt

So

ccer

Fie

ld

Pra

ctic

e/A

ctiv

e R

ec

Fo

otb

all F

ield

Lig

hte

d S

oft

bal

l

Pra

ctic

e S

oft

bal

l

Ligh

ted

Bas

ebal

l

Pra

ctic

e B

aseb

all

Co

mm

un

ity

Cen

ter

Po

ol

Res

tro

om

s

Pav

ilion

Fis

hin

g/B

oat

Lau

nch

Pic

nic

Pat

h/T

rail

(mile

s)

Go

lf C

ou

rse

(# h

ole

s)

Co

mm

un

ity

Gar

den

Par

kin

g

Loca

tion

Acr

eag

e

To

tal A

cres

(by

cate

go

ry)

To

tal P

arks

Large Urban Parks (50 acres+)Alexander 80.0Regional Park 2000 617.0Fourche Bottoms 1315.0South Arch 87.0River Mountain 378.0

2477.0 5Community Parks (20-50 acres)William J. Clinton Presidential Center 27.0Hindman South 40.0Taylor Loop 35.0

102.0 3Neighborhood Parks (5-20 acres)

0.0 0Mini-Parks (under 5 acres)Grandview Addition 3.0

3.0 1Special Facilities

0.0 0

Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2582.0 2582.0 9


Major features within the parkssystem of Little Rock

Boyle ParkBoyle Park was donated to the City in 1929 forthe creation of a municipal park. It is suspectedthat US Senator Joe T. Robinson requested as-sistance from the National Park Service andthe State of Arkansas to design and developthe park. Boyle Park features structures builtby the CCC and WPA. This 240-acre park boastsa unique natural setting, ideal for hiking andmountain biking on the numerous wooded trailsthat loop throughout. The park is surroundedby middle income housing and apartments justminutes away from the University of Arkansasat Little Rock.

Allsopp ParkThis historic park was conceptually designed byprominent Cambridge landscape architect andplanner John Nolen, who recommended that theland be used as a park in his 1913 Parks Plan forLittle Rock. In 1931 Nolen created a generaldesign plan for Allsopp Park based on his ideasfrom the 1913 plan and the wishes of FrederickAllsopp – the English poet and author who soldthe property to the City for $10,000 in 1927.The 150-acre park offers an oasis within the city,offering both undeveloped land for passive rec-reation and unorganized play, as well as a rangeof park amenities within the developed areas ofthe park. The Arkansas Chapter or the American

Society of Landscape Architects awarded thenational status of Medallion Park upon Allsoppat a ceremony on the Promenade in 1999.

MacArthur ParkThe first municipal park in Little Rock, MacArthurPark, is recovering from a devastating tornadothat destroyed nearly half of its mature treesand damaged the historic Arsenal building, whichhouses the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Mili-tary History. It is also home to the Contempla-tion Garden, Cenotaph Playground, the Annex,and Arkansas Arts Center.

Gillam ParkGillam Park contains a rare igneous geology(nepheline syenite granite) which supports aunique system of interspersed glades, wood-lands, and forests, as well as wildlife. As a result,the park has been designated as an “ecologicallyimperiled” site by the Nature Conservancy. Thesurrounding neighborhood consists primarily oflow income and subsidized housing residences.The pool, which is used heavily in the summermonths, and the active recreation area occupy asmall area of the overall park.

Spring house at Boyle Park

Promenade at Allsopp Park

MacArthur Park


Hindman Park & Go l f CourseHindman Park and Golf Course are situated in aunique ecologically setting of low wetland areasteaming with wildlife and riparian vegetation ad-jacent to hilly terrain that challenges even themost experienced golfers. The 103-acre, 18 holegolf course has been designated as an “AudubonCertified Wildlife Sanctuary.” The park, adjacentto the golf course, features a pavilion, ball field,and restrooms, and abuts a middle class neigh-borhood built in the 1950s and 1960s.

Fourche CreekFourche Creek is the largest urban wetland inAmerica within a city limit and encompasses 1700acres of swamps, low lands, and open space insouth Little Rock. Fourche Creek flows from thewest, within a 170 square-mile watershed, even-tually joining the Arkansas River near the LittleRock Airport. The wetland areas, bordered onthe north side by the University of Arkansas atLittle Rock and the Central High neighborhood,currently have limited access and are undevel-oped. Fourche Creek, in addition to its impor-tant wetlands benefit, holds future potential as anatural area with educational and recreational-oriented uses and offers recreational opportuni-ties for large urban open space, interpretive trails,and passive recreation.

The Arkansas RiverThe Arkansas River forms the northern and east-ern boundaries of Little Rock. Several parks arelocated to take advantage of the views and rec-reational opportunities along the river, and areamong the highest-used parks in the city.

The river provides the framework for continuouspark types in a linear pattern for fifteen miles,and offers great opportunities for linkages, trails,and bike paths throughout in order to connectdowntown Little Rock to residential areas andother attractive destinations.

Riverfront Park and the River MarketJulius Breckling Riverfront Park overlooks the Ar-kansas River and features promenades, an en-tertainment-industry amphitheater, and an inter-pretive pavilion about the history of Little Rock.Located adjacent to the popular Little Rock RiverMarket, a notable Parks and Recreation facility, itis the site of the annual Riverfest, held each May.Riverfest has grown in popularity and size withmore than five stages for performances, vendortents, and food booths. The River Market is hometo a daily market as well as special events.

Playground at Gillam Park

Hindman Golf Course

Fourche Creek


Rebsamen Golf CourseRebsaman Golf Course was recently upgradedto “Audubon Certified Wildlife Sanctuary” status.All 27 holes of this riverfront golf course boastimpressive river vistas beneath huge cottonwoodtrees dotting the fairway edges. Its recent $2million renovation has elevated it to the mostpopular public facility and daily-fee course in cen-tral Arkansas. Linking Rebsamen Golf Course toMurray Park is Rebsamen Parkway, which cur-rently features 2 ½ miles of walking and joggingtrails.

Murray ParkMurray Park features many recreational oppor-tunities, including a handicapped-accessible play-ground. The park also houses soccer fields,grass volleyball courts, boating access to the Ar-kansas River, picnic shelters, lookouts, and pavedwalking paths that connect apartments in the eastend of the river valley with the golf course andpark to the neighborhood to the south of MurrayLock & Dam.

The River Market

Rebsamen Golf Course

Soccer field at Murray Park


t h e n a t u r a l s e t t i n g

Understanding the natural setting of Little Rockis essential in developing a parks plan for thecity. Topography, hydrology, land cover, and soilsare all indicators of appropriate lands to de-velop and appropriate areas to preserve for con-servation or enhance for recreational purposes.

Little Rock is essentially located at the conver-gence of five major physiographic regions ofArkansas: the Ozark Mountains, the ArkansasValley, the Ouachita Mountains, the MississippiEmbayment, and the Gulf Coastal Plain, see fig-ure top left. Vegetative cover also reflects thevarious regions, see figure bottom left and Fig-ure 1.5.

The O u a c h i t a M o u n t a i n , M i s s i s s i p p iEmbayment , and Arkansas Valley regions arethose which are most apparent within the city ofLittle Rock. The western portion of the city iswithin the Ouachita Mountain region and is ap-parent by its steep slopes, while the easternand northwestern portions demonstrate morecharacteristics of the Mississippi Embaymentand Arkansas Valley regions, which are muchflatter with alluvial soils and water-loving veg-etation. The Gulf Coastal Plain is the fourthregion, apparent in the southeastern areas ofthe city.

Topography and Hydrology

Understanding the topography of the city is cru-cial when determining suitable locations of vari-ous recreational lands and facilities, since varioustypes lend themselves specifically to either steepor gentle slopes.

Topography within Little Rock varies considerablyfrom the east to the west. In east Little Rock,elevations are generally between 200 and 300feet above sea level. By contrast, areas of westLittle Rock are typically between 400 and 800feet, with some areas reaching nearly 900 feet.Steeper slopes are present in the west, while landis less steep in the east, see Figure 1.4.

All areas of the city ultimately drain into the Ar-kansas River. Most areas drain into FourcheCreek via smaller drainage ways and flood-plains, which then flow into the Arkansas River.Areas of the city adjacent to the Arkansas Riverdrain directly into it. The Fourche Creek floodplain, with its associated smaller drainage areas,contains the largest contiguous open spaces inthe city.

Physiographic Regions of ArkansasSource: U.S. Geological Survey

Arkansas GAP Analysis: Land Cover MapSource: Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies,University of Arkansas


Figure 1.4: Topography and Hydrology


Arkansas Gap Analysis Land Cover

Little Rock houses a wide variety of vegetationtypes, as demonstrated below by the NationalGap Analysis Program (GAP). The GAP analysisprovides an overview of the distribution and con-servation status of several components ofbiodiversity and results in the creation ofbiodiversity inventories, including existing landcover, see Figure 1.5.

The following land cover groups were identified:loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, eastern red cedar,pecan, white oak, willow oak, Nuttall oak, sugarhackberry, sweetgum, bald cypress, giantrivercane, willow, poplar, birch, sycamore, maple,agriculture – dry crops, agriculture – pasture,commercial – industrial, and residential.

Agriculture (dry crops) is primarily found in theeastern areas of Little Rock, within the Missis-sippi Embayment physiography. Willow and nutalloaks, as well as bald cypress and sugar hack-berry associations are predominate in the south-eastern areas of the city, within the Gulf Coastand Mississippi Embayment regions. West LittleRock is principally composed of oaks, pine, andred cedar associations. Commercial-industrial andresidential land covers dominate central LittleRock.

These land covers reinforce the various physi-ographic regions of the city. The GAP analysisaids in understanding the interrelationships ofthe area’s ecosystems, as well as identifying whatis valuable, unique, or of interest within the city.In addition, it assists in recognizing opportunitiesfor creating a parks system which showcases eachof the city’s distinct natural landscapes.

Residential land uses

Open space


ARKANSAS GAP ANALYSISGRAPHIC

Figure 1.5: Land Use and Land Cover


Soils – General

Like topography, hydrology, and land cover, soilsreflect the various physiographic regions foundin Little Rock, see Figure 1.6. The east side ofthe c i ty is main ly composed of Perry ,Mountainburg, Kio, and Rilla associations whichare predominately silty loams on flat slopes.Carnasaw-Mountainburg and Sallisaw associa-tions are prevalent in the west, on moderate tosteep slopes. Central Little Rock consists ofCarnasaw-Urban and Leadvale-Urban associa-tions, while south and southwest Little Rockcontain mainly Leadvale, Amy, and Smithdaleassociations.

Each association is categorized by various soilconditions, including suitability for different uses.Certain soil associations are more suitable forconstruction than are others. In addition, somesoils have better characteristics for recreationalpurposes/facilities than others do. For a com-plete listing of soils within each association andthe characteristics of each, see the Pulaski CountySoil Survey, compiled by the U.S. Department ofAgriculture Soil Conservation Service.

Soils – Suitability

Several factors determine a soil type’s suitabilityfor construction and recreational uses, includingits drainage, permeability, and its stability onslopes. Many areas of Little Rock have soils which

are severely constrained. Bruno, Linker, andRilla associations, found predominately alongthe river and floodplains are most suitable forrecreational uses; however, all soil types withinthe city are less severe for recreational usesthan constructed (built) uses. The Smithdale,Norwood, and Saffell associations are moresuitable for construction than the Amy,Carnasaw, Mountainburg, Perry, and Rexor as-sociations, which have severe construction limi-tations. See Appendix B for listing of soil classesand suitability.New home construction

Homes built on steep slopes


SOILS GRAPHIC

Figure 1.6: Soils


c u l t u r a l & h i s t o r i c a lr e s o u r c e s

Cultural and historical resources play an impor-tant role in the parks system. Parks and culturalresources can emphasize and highlight one an-other to create a well-rounded parks and recre-ation system. Establishing linkages and integrat-ing the two systems promotes a diversified rangeof recreational opportunities.

Arts and Culture

The Cultural Affairs Division of Little Rock Parksand Recreation offers arts and cultural programs,supports local cultural facilities and institutions,and collaborates with other cultural groups topromote cultural life in Little Rock. The CulturalAffairs Division offers the following amenities:• ArtsLine: a 24-hour telephone number of-

fering a recorded message of cultural eventsin Little Rock

• AHAs!: the Arts and Humanities Awards whichannually recognize outstanding support ofculture in Little Rock

• MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military His-tory: opening May 2001, this museum willbe housed in the old Arsenal Tower buildingin MacArthur Park.

Other arts and cultural institutions within LittleRock include the following:• Aerospace Education Center / IMAX• Arkansas Arts Center• Arkansas Repertory Theatre• Arkansas Symphony Orchestra• Ballet Arkansas• Central High Museum and Visitors Center• Children’s Museum of Arkansas• EMOBA, the Museum of Black Arkansans• Historic Arkansas Museum• Museum of Discovery (formerly the Museum

of Science and History)• Old State House• University of Arkansas at Little Rock• Wildwood Park for the Performing Arts

National Register Historic Districts

Like parks, historic districts can be destinationsthat reflect the distinct characteristics of the city.Several National Register Historic Districts arefound in Little Rock, including the Central HighSchool Neighborhood Historic District, theGovernor’s Mansion Historic District, Hillcrest His-toric District, MacArthur Park Historic District,Marshall Square Historic District, Philander SmithCollege Historic District, the Railroad Call HistoricDistrict, the South Main Street Apartments His-toric District, the South Scott Street Historic District,and Boyle Park, see Figure 1.7. Each district con-tains cultural and historical significance that may beintegrated via linkages into the city’s park system.


Centra l High School NeighborhoodHistoric DistrictCentral High School is a National Historic Land-mark located at Daisy L. Gatson Bates and Parkstreets in Little Rock. Built in 1927, this highschool was the focus of national attention in the1957 desegregation crisis. The Central HighSchool National Historic Site was designated aunit of the National Park Service in 1998. TheCentral High School Neighborhood Historic Dis-trict encompasses the surrounding neighbor-hoods. See photo, top right.

Governor’s Mansion Historic DistrictThe Governor’s Mansion was built between 1947and 1950 in the Colonial Revival style and is thesouthern terminus of Center Street, opposite theOld State House, located at Center Street’s north-ern terminus. Homes in the Governor’s MansionHistoric District generally date from about 1880to 1920, and they comprise an outstanding col-lection of Queen Anne, Colonial Revival and Crafts-man architecture. See photo, second down, right.

Hillcrest Historic DistrictThe Hillcrest neighborhood west of downtown wasdesignated a National Historic District in 1990.Included in the district are houses, commercialstructures, and institutional buildings dating from1890 to 1940. Hillcrest was one of the earlyresidential suburbs, accessible to downtown viastreetcar. See photo, third down, right.

MacArthur Park H istor ic D is t r ic tLocated in Downtown Little Rock, the MacArthurPark Historic District houses some of the city’soldest buildings and the city’s first municipal park,as well as the U.S. Arsenal Building (built from1840-1842), which is now home to the MacArthurMuseum of Arkansas Military History. Also lo-cated in the district are the Decorative Arts Mu-seum (housed in the Terry Mansion), the Arkan-sas Arts Center, Trapnall Hall, and the Villa Marre.See photo, bottom right.

Marshall Square Historic DistrictThis block of downtown Little Rock features asolid block of vernacular 1918 rental houses. Itwas designated as the Marshall Square HistoricDistrict in 1979. See photo, top left, followingpage.

Philander Smith College Historic DistrictPhilander Smith College Historic District, locatedin central Little Rock, has a notable and lengthyhistory as a privately-supported, historically black,four-year liberal arts college, related to the Boardof Higher Education and Ministry of the UnitedMethodist Church. Philander’s origins stem fromthe 1877 establishment of Walden Seminaryhoused in the Wesley Chapel Methodist Church.The Seminary was designated as the official edu-cational institution of the General Conference ofthe Methodist Episcopal Church, and served as apreparatory school for negro youth. See photo,following page, second down, left.


Rai l road Cal l H istor ic Distr ic tA collection of three Colonial Revival-style homesrepresentative of several blocks of houses whichwere constructed around the Missouri PacificDepot in the early twentieth century. The namewas derived from the railroad company sendingmessengers to “call” crew members living in thearea for work. This district is located one blockfrom the Little Rock Missouri Pacific Railroad Sta-tion and three blocks from the State Capitol grounds.

South Main Street Apartments HistoricDistrictLocated near the expanding central business dis-trict in the early twentieth century, the collectionof apartments along South Main Street reflectthe period of rapid urbanization of Little Rock.Prior to the 1920s, few apartments existed withinthe city. Between 1920 and 1930, over one hun-dred apartment buildings were constructed toaccommodate growth. The buildings within thisdistrict represent many architectural styles, in-cluding Colonial Revival, Craftsman, English Re-vival, Spanish Revival, and Mediterranean.

South Scott Street Historic DistrictThis group of ten properties is the largest andmost well-preserved group of modest, working-class residences from the late nineteenth andearly twentieth centuries in Little Rock. Its as-sortment of relatively simple house plans,adorned with detailing from the Queen Anne Re-vival, Colonial Revival, and Craftsman idioms, is

more typical of residential architecture from thisperiod than the larger homes found in the city’sother historic districts. The architecture of theSouth Scott Street Historic District stands as amore representative record of how most peoplelived in Little Rock during that era. See photo,third down, left.

Boyle ParkBoyle Park was added to the National Registerof Historic Places in 1995. It is home to eightfacilities constructed by the Civilian ConservationCorps from 1933 to 1945. These facilities in-clude two pavilions, a spring house, a caretaker’scabin, and the remains of the water tower/pumphouse/garage. All were built in the Rustic stylepopular for CCC construction. Boyle Park con-tains one of the last ensembles of Rustic archi-tecture remaining in the state that largely retainsits original appearance and its organic relationshipwith the natural landscape. See photo, bottom left.


HISTORIC DISTRICT GRAPHIC

Figure 1.7: Historic Districts


p o l i t i c a l a n dp l a n n i n g d i s t r i c t s

Little Rock’s city government is based on theward system. The city is divided into districts,or wards, from each of which one member iselected to the Little Rock Board of Directors.Understanding these boundaries is importantfor several reasons. The breakdown of wardsindicates at a basic level the various regionsof the city based on larger neighborhoodgroupings. Additionally, knowledge of thewards’ boundaries can explain past politicaldecisions regarding planning and provide fore-sight to future ones.

Wards

Little Rock is made up of seven wards. Eachward is represented by a member of the Boardof Directors. Ward 1 includes most of east-ern Little Rock and downtown. South centralLittle Rock comprises Ward 2, while Wards 3and 4 cover northwest Little Rock. Ward 5 islocated in west Little Rock, and Wards 6 and 7encompass the southwest portions of the city,see Figure 1.8. The Mayor, along with threeadditional Board of Directors members, com-prise four “at large” positions that representthe entire city.


WARDS GRAPHIC

Figure 1.8: Wards


Planning Districts

Planning Districts are often established in or-der to break the city into smaller workableunits for development and comparison, seeFigure 1.9. These districts are many timesdetermined by the people’s perception oftheir neighborhood areas, by natural andphysical barriers, and by political boundaries.These districts assist planners to better un-derstand the different areas of their city andto aid in decision making which will affect thefuture of the districts and the city as a whole.

Little Rock has been divided into several plan-ning districts, which extend beyond the city lim-its in order to plan for future growth and ex-pansion.

In addition, the planning department is work-ing in conjunction with neighborhood associa-tions to complete plans for the various neigh-borhoods in the city. Neighborhood groupsdetermine the physical boundaries of theirneighborhood plans, see Figure 1.9, and ad-dress many aspects of planning within theirarea, including parks. To date, sixteen neigh-borhood plans have been completed.


PLANNING DISTRICTS GRAPHIC

Figure 1.9: Planning Districts


Future Land Use

The City of Little Rock adopted the future landuse plan in June 1992, and has had numerousamendments to date, see Figure 1.10. Fu-ture land use is important to understand inparks planning for two key reasons. First,the projected pattern of land use providesan indication of where future demand forparks and recreation services will occur, mostnotably in the areas where significant resi-dential growth is anticipated. Second, thefuture land use plan sets forth a statementabout the city’s policies for building livableand economically viable communities.

A future land use plan indicates site-specifi-cally where parks are already planned andwhere open spaces are intended to remain un-developed. Little Rock’s future land use planreflects large portions of the existing drain-age system to be left intact as open space.Additionally, it indicates open lands in the rap-idly-growing west side of town; most likelyalong steep slopes or otherwise undevelop-able land. There is currently very little openspace or park land designated in the west-central areas of Little Rock beyond the citylimits. In the preparation of a future land useplan, parks should be carefully considered asan integral part of the plan to help maximizequality of life opportunities.


FUTURE LAND USE GRAPHIC

Figure 1.10: Future Land Use

c h a p t e r o n e : e x i s t i n g c o n d i t i o n...

Documents