Plan reimagines south Fayetteville
BY MARSHA L. MELNICHAK Northwest Arkansas Times
Posted on Friday, September 5, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/68808/
Railroad tracks, wagon wheels and fence posts helped historian Denele Campbell of Fayetteville describe the changing image of south Fayetteville in a kickoff event for creating the Fayette Junction Neighborhood Plan.
Fayette Junction, the hub of the Fayetteville area in the days of harvesting hardwood timber for the world, is now the hub for the city’s latest neighborhood planning effort in south Fayetteville.
“ I think it’s important for people to understand that there was already a sense of community in this area before it was even part of Fayetteville, ” said Campbell, who spoke to about 50 people at the event Thursday.
The Fayette Junction planning area covers more than 600 acres in a roughly triangular area bordered by 15 th Street, Interstate 540 and the flood plain to the east. It includes residential, industrial and commercial areas and is part of both Ward 1 and Ward 4.
“ When you can evoke a sense of community in neighborhoods, it helps people step up and participate in planning the future of what’s going to happen in their neighborhoods, ” Campbell said.
The depot for Fayette Junction, named for the Yshaped railroad junction that became a focal point for the timber industry, stood then about where the east end of Sligo Street is now, not far from Cato Springs Road.
Sligo Wagon Wood Company was one of the historical businesses that brought jobs and growth to the area.
Campbell shared information about early property owners and early business leaders. She spoke, too, about the first subdivision of 212 residential lots, most of which were 25 feet wide and 125 feet long.
The next chance to help create that newest sense of community for the Fayette Junction area will be a handson design workshop Sept. 13 at the Arkansas Research and Technology Park on Research Center Boulevard off South School Street.
“ If you can only attend one event, this is the event to attend, ” Karen Minkel, interim director of long-range planning for the city, said.
It is the event where area residents, business people, property owners and anyone with an interest in the future of the area will begin to identify specific goals.
Input from that meeting will be compiled on maps during an open design studio on Sept. 14-18. Interested persons will be able to talk to and “ look over the shoulders” of the designers, Minkel said.
“ It’s the only place left for Fayetteville to grow, ” said Stan Lancaster, who has lived in Fayetteville since 1952. He has lived most of his life on the city’s south side.
Lancaster hopes results of the planning effort will be more consistent affordable housing with industry.
“ Otherwise, there’s not going to be anybody to buy a house, ” he said.
Like Campbell, he is interested in community.
“ If we don’t cultivate industry of some sort and work it in as comfortably as we can into the other areas, residential areas, park areas, natural areas, all we have to hope for is it will turn into a retirement community, which will kill our community, ” Lancaster said.
Louise Mann, who lives a couple blocks from Razorback Stadium, attended the kickoff because she is interested in seeing how south Fayetteville will be developed.
Natural environment is important to the woman who saw a deer in her yard Thursday.
“ What I want to see is certainly trails and parks, but I also want to be sure that we respect the folks who have lived here for decades and pay attention to what they want, ” she said. “ We want to preserve that sense of community that they have as we grow. ”
Copyright © 2001-2008 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. All rights reserved. Contact: webmaster@nwanews.com
Posts
1 comment:
You didn't get my picture and I was close to the front.
A Fellow Watershed Warrior!
Post a Comment