09/15/2026
Thanks for all the love, shares, and comments about the new Kiwanis Kids Zone playground and mini-splashpad in Harrison! Want to learn more or have your questions answered? Read on.
WHO BUILT IT?
The project was a true "group project": contributions from several different groups helped bring it all together.
City employees provided planning and labor and city equipment for site preparation including tree removal, plumbing and conduit installation, concrete installation, and renovations to the existing pavilion and bathrooms.
Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District provided help with assembling the initial grant application and with administering the grant's ex*****on once the grant was awarded.
The Arkansas Department of Heritage, Parks & Tourism provided a $150,000 matching grant for the playground.
Kiwanis Club offered $100,000 to help with the construction of the splashpad.
The City of Harrison contributed the remainder of the cost, which is still being determined as final touches are completed.
"We are very, very thankful" for all the help that the various entities contributed, Harrison Parks and Recreation Director Chuck Eddington stressed at the opening ceremonies.
WHERE IS IT?
The park is located next to an existing shaded picnic pavilion and restroom facility at the Equity Bank Sports Complex on Industrial Park Road. It is not visible from the parking lot; visitors must park and walk/wheel themselves deep into the ballpark to reach the area. "It is a bit of a stroll to get there, but that walk is good for us all, and it keeps the play area right in the center of the action during league and tournaments," Eddington explained; "It also enabled us to locate the play structures near existing restrooms, picnic tables, and shade."
WHO IS IT FOR / WHY WAS IT BUILT?
The ballpark's need for an updated and expanded playground was obvious, but that was not the primary reason for the project. An analysis of Harrison's existing playgrounds and population revealed a real need for a playground option on the north side of town, and resident comments on social media indicated families' desire for a smaller, more cozy playground experience with plenty of shade nearby.
In addition, the dense neighborhoods, apartment complexes, and RV parks near the sports complex house an unusually large number of families with small children. "We could see that we'd be serving a lot of kids and young families, and that many would even be able to walk to the playground from their homes," Eddington shared.
"This is incredible," one neighborhood mom said on Friday at the grand opening. "You would not believe how sad our apartment complex's playground is. This is going to be huge for all the kids around here." The mom also noted that finding free, fun things to do together was sometimes difficult these days. "We're going to spend way more time down here, I can tell," she said.
Three young neighborhood boys who came down the hill from an adjacent neighborhood to join the ceremony were beyond excited. "It's so cool, we're probably gonna love it," one boy enthused. "It's a lot better... the old one was made out of wood... it wasn't much (fun)," another commented. "There's way more things to do," grinned the third.
One of the project's goals was to design a location that would appeal greatly to younger kids. "Everyone will love and use this place, but sporting families could really use a park to entertain the little ones who spend long hours waiting on their siblings' games out here. Now they'll have a place to play and cool off," said outdoor maintenance head Jason Yarbrough.
WHEN IS IT OPEN?
For now, the playground is open daily from dawn to dusk, like most city park properties. Whenever the park is open for tournaments, league play and other special events, the playground will remain open until play is completed for the evening. Soon-to-be-installed solar lighting will provided a lighted path to and from the parking lot, and cameras and timers on the splashpad and restrooms help ensure that the area is safe and secure.
The splashpad will be open as long as warm weather lasts, but will have to be shut down once cool weather arrives. It will reopen in May when the weather warms again.
WHAT IS INCLUDED?
As mentioned above, the two play areas are immediately next to each other and also next to an existing pavilion with several shaded picnic tables, handicapped-accessible restrooms and a water fountain that can fill water bottles. The splashpad is smaller than Harrison's downtown splashpad but still has an array of features, including the beloved "big bucket" that fills slowly and periodically dumps a giant splash on those waiting below. The playground is filled with slides and play and climbing features meant to be accessible to kids of all abilities so that everyone can find a way to play and have fun together. A special swingset with both a regular and an accessible swing sit off to one side of the playground.
PROUD AND PLEASED
City officials, Kiwanis club members, and Chamber of Commerce representatives all gathered last Friday with local kids and neighborhood residents to cut the ribbon and celebrate the opening of this reimagined space. "This is going to be a major asset for years to come for this community and this ballfield," Eddington declared.
