HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlaygound - MacArthur Park MPNA commentsMacArthur Park Neighborhood Association
Little Rock Historic District Commission Hearing - November 5, 2020
Certificate of Appropriateness Application
Applicant: Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department
Location: 503 9th Street (MacArthur Park)
Project Description: Universal Playground which includes accessible walks, accessible ramps,
Arsenal slides, climbing walls, etc.
Comments
This COA application is for a Universal Playground located in MacArthur Park property and is near the
south/east facade of the Tower Building of the Little Rock Arsenal c. 1840, a National Historic Landmark,
which now houses the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History.
As proposed this playground should not present an adverse impact on the architectural or historic
integrity of the Tower Building or the MacArthur Park National Register Historic District and will add to
the enjoyment of the park by the citizens of Little Rock.
The plan represents another project undertaken by the public-private partnership of the Little Rock
Parks and Recreation Department and the MacArthur Park Group. This partnership has planned and
implemented many of the recent features in the park and is to be commended for their work.
The proposed playground is situated at the rear of the Tower Building and should not impact the
primary viewshed of this NHL. Parking will be available in existing areas on both the east and west sides
of the site and no additional roads and parking lots will be needed. The plan is in compliance with
Secretary of the Interior’s Standard #10 New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be
undertaken in such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the
historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.
We are pleased to read the existing playground equipment which is located on the north-east section of
the grounds and is a visual intrusion to the arsenal will be removed and the ground will be leveled and
reseeded (though the fence will remain intact.)
While recognizing that the grounds of what is now MacArthur Park have been disturbed over the years,
to our knowledge there has never been an archeological survey performed. During the construction of
the playground, we caution the builders to keep an eye out for archaeological artifacts and should any
be found, turn those artifacts into the staff of the Military Museum, the Arkansas Archeological Survey
or the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program.