Fayetteville to replace playground surfaces at David Lashley Park and Hotz Park

David Lashley Park (Flyer file photo)

Two of the city’s parks will soon have a new playground surface.

City Council members on Tuesday approved a proposal from Landscape Structures, Inc. for the purchase and installation of playground safety surfacing at David Lashley Park and Hotz Park.

The surface at Lashley Park is 16 years old, and the surface at Hotz Park is 24 years old, according to a city staff memo. While the playground structures at each park are still in good condition, the rubber tile surfacing has started to fail and needs to be replaced, staff said.

The cost to replace the surfacing is about $101,000, which includes materials and labor. The money will come from the city’s parks development fund, which is fueled by the parks department’s share of the city’s hotel, motel and restaurant (HMR) tax. The city collects a 2 percent tax on hotel/motel stays and prepared food sales. Half of the money goes to pay for parks maintenance, operations and capital improvements. The other 1 percent goes to the Fayetteville Advertising & Promotion Commission.

Hotz Park (Flyer file photo)

Lashley Park is located at 4640 N. Copper Creek Drive in east Fayetteville. It was named after David Lashley, a Fayetteville High School football player who became a lifelong philanthropist for local charities and service organizations, according to city documents.

Hotz Park is located at 149 N. Palmer Ave. in the University Heights neighborhood west of Razorback Stadium. The park land was donated to the city by Henry and Stella Hotz in 1955, and was improved in 1998.