Log Cabin Democrat
The Conway City Council approved measures to go forward with 2017 parks projects — which include building a tennis center at Laurel Park, finishing out the Conway Expo and Event Center and more — during its regular meeting Tuesday.
Aldermen authorized the city to get a five-year loan of up to $2.8 million from First Security Bank, which offered the best interest rate at 3.07 percent, to finish out the Conway Expo and Event Center.
“The repayment of the loan will come from the A&P (Advertising and Promotions) funds,” Parks and Recreation Director Steve Ibbotson said.
Aldermen approved Rik Sowell Architects to design and plan a tennis facility at Laurel Park. The architect firm will team with White-Daters Engineering and Australian Courtworks on the project.
Australian Courtworks is an experienced firm “especially in post-tension concrete courts, which is what we’re looking at,” Ibbotson said.
Alderman David Grimes said the city was “in good shape” when it came to funding parks projects.
“The tennis [facility] will be funded by money we already have collected in the A&P fund,” he said. “There’s more than enough to cover the tennis center.
“The other two priorities we listed — finishing out the boy’s baseball [complex] and the bridge over Dave Ward pedestrian crossing — that funding, what’s leftover in the A&P account plus what we collect this year, will pretty much cover all of that.”
The items were approved 8-0. All aldermen were present.