Beautification project under way downtown

Downtown Conway will soon have another beautified green space where people can relax and enjoy the outdoors.

Partners in a beautification project held a quick ceremony on Wednesday morning at the strip of land at Deer Street and Locust Avenue. The property adjoins Dr. Terry Fiddler's dental office, and the county recently purchased a building at 574 Locust Ave. that will become the offices of the prosecuting attorney's victim services department. Fiddler had the idea for a beautification project at the site.

"I approached (County Judge) Preston Scroggin and (Conway Mayor Tab Townsell) when the county bought the building," he said. "My property surrounds this. I wanted to do something better than having it surrounded by concrete. Keep Faulkner County Beautiful is always trying to do something with the county, the city and private business, and I'm the private business." The county, city, Keep Faulkner County Beautiful and the Faulkner County Master Gardeners are all involved in the project. A Master Gardener will help in the design and coordinating the planting, according to a press release.

Wal-Mart on Harkrider Street donated small trees and shrubs to be planted at the site. Fiddler will cover other expenses and has pledged to maintain the garden, according to the press release.

Justice of the Peace Jerry Park, who is also a Master Gardener, said, "We will use evergreen trees and shrubs that will help reflect the sun off the parking lot, cool the area and absorb carbon dioxide and help reduce our carbon imprint."

Scroggin said a "green" parking lot will be built behind the building, which will be designed to make water runoff toward the plants.

Fiddler said he has some benches to put outside so that people can relax and enjoy the garden area. The group discussed planting flowers at the site as well.

Wal-Mart on Harkrider Street has also planted flowers and shrubs at the Liberty Garden and the McGee Center, according to the press release.

Present at the ceremony Wednesday were Bob McCormack of Keep Faulkner County Beautiful; Kelli Long and Tamarcus Hill of the Wal-Mart Personal Sustainability Program; Scroggin, representing the county; Parks representing the Master Gardeners and the county; and Fiddler.

(Staff writer Rachel Parker Dickerson can be reached by e-mail at rachel.dickerson@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1277. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)