Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/954942
By Sarah Haney Prairie Grove has excellent parks, with the Aquatic Park drawing more than 23,000 guests last year alone. Whether you want to spend an aernoon playing tennis or learning about the state's only Civil War Battlefield State Park, Prairie Grove boasts many opportunities for adventure. Prairie Grove Aquatic Park e Prairie Grove Aquatic Park offers fun and relaxation for the whole family. A great way to beat the heat with slides, swimming, and sun. Open late May to mid- August, season passes are available as well as swim lessons and water aerobics. Delford Rieff Park e park has excellent baseball facilities and more than 35 teams participate in summer ball programs. Delford Rieff Park also includes a walking track, sand volleyball, Murph Pair Skate Park, and the Prairie Grove Aquatic Park. Located on the west side of Delford Rieff Park, the Murph Pair Skate park is a place for skateboarders to practice their skills. Donald and Peggy Parks Municipal Tennis Courts Tennis courts located on Highway 62, just north of downtown Prairie Grove. Mock Park A small but quaint oasis in downtown Prairie Grove, Mock Park includes a state of the art playground, complete with a space net, basketball courts, gazebo, and picnic tables. Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park e state's only Civil War Battlefield State Park is located in Prairie Grove and offers miles of hiking trails, a historic driving tour, historic period buildings, a museum, and many special programs throughout the year. On Labor Day, the park hosts tens of thousands of visitors the annual Clothesline Fair, one of the top arts and cras venues in the South. Prairie Grove Libraries e mission of the Prairie Grove Library is to enrich the lives of the community's citizens through information, education, literacy and leisure. e Library wishes to provide lifetime learning opportunities to the community and inspire interest, expand horizons, and enrich perspectives. e Prairie Grove Library system operates two facilities. A full service main library includes thousands of volumes of fiction, non-fiction, research, biographical books, large print books, as well as magazines, books on tape, and movies. Computers are available to patrons for access to the internet as well as WiFi inside the library itself. e Library is committed to service to the public and is operated by the City of Prairie Grove, served by the Prairie Grove Library Board, and supported by the Prairie Grove Friends of the Library. As a member of the Washington County Library System (WCLS), resources can be shared from all of the participating libraries within the WCLS. Books can be ordered online as well as checked out or renewed. e library system also operates the only stand-alone children's facility in Arkansas. e Children's Library houses a wide variety of age-appropriate books, as well as providing programs for the youngest patrons. It is committed to providing a library whose emphasis is on the youth of the community. e atmosphere at the Children's Library deviates from the traditional "library" experience and is geared to more informal learning for children. Numerous activities throughout the year provide an opportunity for children of all ages to participate in popular entertainment, educational, and learning programs. e Children's Library staff organizes events throughout the year as well as coordinating activities through their partnership with the WCLS. Children are also offered public access to computers for research, homework, or to simply browse the Web safely. Prairie Grove plans to turn the empty Walmart Express building into the city's new combined public and children's library, taking the existing one from 6,500 square feet to about 15,000. e library plans on starting renovations on the old Walmart Express this summer and plan to move in and be open to the public by the fall. Other nearby attractions include Devil's Den State Park, Bob Kidd Lake, and Lake Wedington. Opportunities for camping, swimming, fishing, and just enjoying nature abound. Numerous clubs are available that encourage camaraderie, projects, and local civic pride. e Masonic Temple, Lion's Club, Women's Federated Club, Jr. Civic League, Prairie Grove Chamber of Commerce, and Friends of the Library all welcome new members. Prairie Grove amenities, attractions Prairie Grove P Hudson Cantu, 6, admires his very first library card inside The Doris Sharp Children's Library in Prairie Grove. The city of Prairie Grove is purchasing the former Walmart Express building and planning to move the city library and children's library into it. Photo courtesy of David Gottschalk NWA Democrat-Gazette 6 – 2018 West Washington County Directory