(Editor’s Note: Each year, Arkansas Business partners with the Arkansas Municipal League to present the Trendsetter City awards, which recognize exceptional initiatives underway in municipalities across the state. Large, medium and small-sized cities were honored in six categories: Diversity and Inclusion; Education/Workforce Development; Infrastructure and Water; Public Works/Environmental and Green Management; Technology and Security; and Tourism Development/Creative Culture. Below is one winner’s story. For more, click here.)
Diversity and Inclusion
Honorable Mention • Over 20,000
Population: 23,825 | Mayor: Marco McClendon | County: Crittenden | Region: Northeast
The Challenge
No playgrounds inclusive to disabled children existed within a 60-mile radius of West Memphis, so children with disabilities were without a dedicated play space. A student from the mayor’s 2022 Summer Youth Program highlighted the matter, sparking the idea for an inclusive park. City leaders recognized the regional impact of such a facility and took on the tasks of addressing the gap and committing to create a play environment accessible to all children.
The Solution
The solution came through community collaboration, strategic partnerships and a $210,000 grant from the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. The grant, combined with city funds and in-kind contributions, covered the project cost. The transformed playground at Hicks Park, with ADA-compliant ramps and sensory features, now serves as a regional landmark for inclusive play and community support. The city also renovated the building adjacent to the new park to house its Parks and Fire departments’ headquarters.
West Memphis also updated pavilions at Hicks Park to add wheelchair-accessible tables.
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