The Bentonville Parks & Recreation department is set to advance two major projects following the City Council’s approval of multi-million dollar construction bids.

During the council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 13, bids for the 8th Street Gateway Park and the Adult Recreation Center were given the green light.

The 8th Street Gateway Park project is a nearly 100-acre park planned for the west side of Bentonville, thoughtfully designed with a beginner mountain biking track, skate park, pavilion, ecological area and more.

David Wright, Bentonville Parks and Recreation director, presented the design to City Council members at a meeting Aug. 12, calling it “Bentonville’s version of Central Park.”

“How do we make it feel like Bentonville?” Wright commented when discussing the initial thought process behind the park’s creation. “I hope what we’ve done is created a design that really does feel like our community.”

Community input from a public meeting held in 2020 helped drive the vision behind the park. In an effort to create a desired “gathering place,” a play consultant was hired to design a destination-style playground that will “grab their kids’ attention, not for 20 or 30 minutes like a small cookie-cutter playground,” Wright said.

“They wanted something their kid would want to be at for 90 minutes or longer.”

Another highlight will be the new skatepark. Wright cited the need for a bigger skatepark in the area, saying the one at Memorial Park is “great,” but not large enough. For the design, the department hired California Skate Park, the creators of the Olympics skate park in Paris and in Los Angeles four years from now. 

“What I feel certain about, is that when we start talking about this park, it really will … be the best skate park between Dallas and Kansas City,” Wright said. “It’s designed to that level, we wanted it to be a destination, and we certainly will have that.”

The project is expected to cost about $39.4 million. A grant from the Walton Family Foundation for $32.5 million will go toward construction costs. Bonds, bond interest and impact fees will cover the rest of the funding needed.

Construction will begin in September with completion expected to take about two years. 

 After three years of planning, Bentonville City cil approved a $22M construction bid for the Adult Recreation Center, the city’s new wellness hub for adults ages 50 and older. 

Construction is set to begin on the two-story addition to the current Downtown Activity Center at 215 S.W. A St. in September. The new building is expected to open in the first quarter of 2026.

With its opening, Bentonville will follow the lead of Fayetteville, Springdale and Rogers, which all have wellness centers geared toward seniors. It is also predicted that the new center will help alleviate some of the pressure on the Bentonville Community Center, a need highlighted in the city’s Play Bentonville 10-Year Master Plan.

Josh Stacey, Parks & Recreation services manager, presented the design to City Council members at Monday’s meeting. Citing significant community input, the design includes multipurpose rooms, a full-size gymnasium for pickleball courts and other sports, a warm-water therapy pool, an indoor walk/jog track, a group fitness studio, an open fitness area, locker rooms, and a full-service cafe. 

Those aged 50 and up will be able to purchase an all-access pass that will include the new Adult Recreation Center, Bentonville Community Center and Melvin Ford Aquatic Center, Stacey said. The Adult Recreation Center will also offer a separate membership and day passes.

More fitness classes will be added for those under age 50 at the Bentonville Community Center once the Adult Recreation Center is open, Stacey said. A majority of the 50-plus classes will move to the Adult Recreation Center. 

With the completion of the addition, the project will add over 35,000 square feet to the approximately 8,300-square-foot building. A new manager is expected to be hired in January to help oversee the facility, with $130,000 allotted for the position.

“It became apparent, as we went on our site visits, that the person who is running this really makes or breaks the facility,” Stacey said.

The estimated total cost of the project is about $24 million. This includes about $22.5 million for the building and another approximately $1.5 million for furniture, fixtures and equipment. A grant agreement with the Town Branch Foundation — a nonprofit connected to the Walton family — will provide about $21.3 million. City of Bentonville impact fees and capital is slated to cover the rest.