Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Community Center is Coming Soon!
January 20, 2010
Yesterday morning, our office was fortunate to tour the new community center under construction. Mayor Jackie McPherson led the tour.
The new community center in Heber Springs, Arkansas is hoping to open by Memorial Day weekend this May. There obviously remains much work to be done, but what is there now is very impressive, especially for a town our size.
The center is located on the north end of Heber Springs off of Highway 25BB around Tuluka Boulevard. There will be access off Tuluka and 25B. The center, which has well over 100,000 square feet total, consists of two buildings, the aquatic center and the convention/activity center.
The aquatic center features a therapeutic pool, which can reach temperatures of 105 degrees Fahrenheit, though Mayor McPherson does not foresee keeping the temperature that warm. The center also features a lap pool with diving platforms on one end with depths reaching down to 6 feet.
The convention/activity center is a separate building to the north of the aquatic center. It features a large gymnasium area which will feature the latest rubberized athletic flooring, basketball and volley courts, three lane track over the gym area, and cardio equipment. Other areas include two racquet courts, a weight room, two large meeting areas, a kitchen and “break” rooms off the meeting areas, locker rooms, aerobic room, offices for the staff, welcome desk and a birthday/party room. Mayor McPherson expects business meetings, family reunions, wedding receptions and most any event that a first rate facility.
Mayor McPherson anticipates three to six full-time employees and a reliance on volunteers to run the facility. For residents, there will be a family and individual memberships probably running $30 and $15-$20 respectively. There will be day use passes and visitor passes available as well as special use passes. Many of those details have yet to be worked out as this point.
There will be a grand opening and open house upon the center’s completion and promises to be something all of Cleburne County will be proud of.
For more information on Heber Springs go to http://www.heber-springs.com/content/
For all your real estate needs, go www.PatDudeck.com or www.HeberSpringsRealEstate.net.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Update on the floodgates on the Greers Ferry Dam
After more than 10 days of emptying Greers Ferry Lake through the Greers Ferry Dam to around four feet above normal, almost all of it was wiped out last week with torrential rains. Christmas Eve saw heavy rains that raised the level of the Greers Ferry Lake to 471.2', over 10' above the normal pool level.
The intent of opening the floodgates was to "make room" for the spring rains, but these heavy rains have sort of spoiled that. The alternative was to do nothing, and then where would we be?
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The Floodgates Are Open
For the first time in 27 years and only the second time ever, floodgates on the Greers Ferry Dam were opened earlier this month. On December 3rd, the Corps of Engineers, which operates the Greers Ferry Dam, opened two of the six flood gates in concert with releases through the hydropower plant turbines to relieve the high water levels that have brought the lake almost fourteen feet above normal.
The last time the dam floodgates were opened was in 1982 during a very wet year, not unlike the one we endured this year. After seven days the lake level is under nine feet above normal and should be at normal pool level of 461.44 in just a couple of weeks. This will allow the lake to start at a normal level as the wet season approaches early next year.
While reducing levels of Greers Ferry Lake, the Little Red River is raging. With about twice the normal water going downstream, less than 15,000 cubic feet per second, dock owners and anglers are warned.
If you get a chance to check out the dam, the JFK lookout is an excellent bird’s eye view and the sound is pretty awesome with tons of water pouring down the face of the dam. According to history, this event only takes place, on average, every twenty-four years.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The customary three-day holiday will include Friday for most government employees since the holiday actually falls on the weekend.
Barring any torrential rainfall, the fireworks show will be at its customary location at Sandy Beach, located at the west end of Front Street in Heber Springs. Last year’s high water level moved the fireworks in town on Highway 25B making it much more difficult to see from the lake.
Be careful this summer, and come enjoy one of the festivals we will be having this summer on Greers Ferry Lake in Heber Springs.
For more information, please go to http://www.hebersprings.com/.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Sugar Loaf Festival
The Second Annual Heritage Day Celebration is this Saturday, May 16th at the ASU Heber Springs Campus from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The event will take place “Rain or Shine”.
Items and activities will include:
Illustrations of Trail Master Plan by Eastin Outdoors, Inc.,
Live music by The Happy Hour Band
Free lunch courtesy of Mack’s Fish House
“Early Bird” Free Balloon Rides from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m,
Live auction of hot air balloon flight for two people
Silent auction of Sugarloaf Mountain photographs
Charles Stuart - a history of Sugar Loaf Mountain
Mayor McPherson with the future and recollections of Sugar Loaf Mountain.
Bounce rides for the kids
Face painting
Kite flying
Arrowhead and insect displays
Souvenir t-shirts on sale
Trail hikes and summit climbs on Sugarloaf Mountain
*Guests will be encouraged to support the goals of the Sugarloaf Heritage Council by tax deductible donations by current IRS regulations for memberships and sponsorships.
Membership Levels: Students $5, Individuals $20, and Family $35
Sponsorship Levels: Approach $250, Trailhead $500, Ascent $1000, and Summit $2500
For more information please visit www.sugarloafheritagecouncil.org or call (501) 362-5858.
Come on! Bring the family, and support Sugarloaf!
Trails of Heber Springs
After years of running pavement, I decided to take it off the streets and find some terrain that would be more exciting, challenging and possibly less stressful on my joints. I began running the grassy hills of golf courses. I enjoyed it, but if you went in the spring, summer and fall months, there were going to be actual golfers who could take me down with one swing, and I felt like I might be imposing on their sport. I also ran roads outside of town that may be part gravel and part dirt and wind between different farms.
I finally found trail running. Its not like I just one day woke up and thought of running trails, my friend Alan and I would run park trails and walking trails around Little Rock, Fayetteville, and Russellville. Allsop Park, Bona Dea Trail, and the Agri field were some old trails to name a few.
I grew up in Heber Springs, Arkansas along the banks of the Greer’s Ferry Lake and the Little Red River. I moved away after high school in 1989 to make my fortune and see the world outside of the small, quaint resort town. After 20 years I moved back, better for the experiences and age, but very glad to be back “home”.
Of the things you don’t think about when Heber is not your full time residence, are the awesome trails we have here. I had started running parks, and trails during my years in Little Rock, including Pinnacle State Park, Murry Park, Big Dam Bridge, Allsop Park, Lake Sylvia, and others. I soon began inquiring about the trails around the area. I knew of Mossy Bluff Trail located behind the Carl Garner Visitor Center out by the dam. It had been constructed in the 80’s and I used to hike it high school. That was the first place I started going upon my arrival back in Heber. This time I was running/hiking them.
Mossy Bluff Trail has several routes that wind along the bluffs above the Little Red River just past the Greer’s Ferry Dam. It is wooded, hilly, and windy. This is what you think of as a “hiking trail”. I tried to take my young daughter with me one time and the terrain is just a little rough for her right now. It is definitely one of the more challenging trails we have here.
Sugar Loaf Mountain is a challenging trail to run. I usually hike, not run, this one since it is a steady rise all the way to the top. There are two Sugar Loaf Mountains in the Greer’s Ferry Lake area. One is on land in the city of Heber Springs, formerly known as Sugar Loaf in the 1800s, and one in the water, an island close to Fairfield Bay and the town of Greer’s Ferry. I have hiked both, but the island takes a bit more effort to get to and requires some planning. A boat is required to reach the island unless you plan on swimming too. This time, I will talk about the one in the town. It is located on Hwy 110 east. The turn off is on the right on Trailhead Road just past Arkansas State University at Heber Springs. The trail takes you up through the woods to the base of the rocky bluffs that surround the very top of the mountain. If you have ever been to Heber Springs, you have seen the Sugar Loaf Mountain top. The mountain has a unique look and is the unofficial symbolizing landmark of Heber Springs and the Little Red River.
Updated: June 11, 2009. I recently ran the trail at Sandy Beach. I didn't make around the lake, but was able to run the trails near Sandy Beach and in the woods that run between the beach and the little dike. Good soft trail for nice off road running and especially enjoyed the run around a fishing pond nestled in the woods that most folks probably don't know about. Sandy Beach is located at the west end of Front Street in Heber Springs.