Willard creates new recreational amenities

The community of Willard is investing in recreation.

The Willard Recreational Center and the city's trailhead mark two areas of new construction for Springfield's neighbor to the north.

Both sites increase the city's "provision of recreational opportunities for all ages," said Carl Carlson, city administrator. These amenities, along with Willard's school district, are significant reasons why the city is growing, he added.

Willard Recreation Center

Construction on the 17,815-square-foot Willard Recreation Center at North Park began Aug. 1, 2001, and will be completed in early June, said Steve Smith, president of Joplin Construction Design and Management Inc. Joplin's contract was for $1.069 million. The architect was Sapp Design Associates PC.

Funding for the center was secured through a $1.53 million bond issue approved by Willard voters on Feb. 6, 2001, said Carlson. Supplementing this is a half-cent sales tax dedicated to parks and recreation, he added. The underwriter for the issue is U.S. Bancorp, and the trustee and paying agent is Commerce Bank.

The center's two gyms, dressing rooms, community room and classroom/meeting room should get an immediate workout. Sports like basketball have "maxed out" Willard's middle school gymnasium with more than 1,300 players enrolled in the city's kindergarten-adult program alone, said Jared Keeling, community service director for Willard. The center can accommodate this need, as well as future offerings like volleyball, dance, aerobics, yoga and possibly even indoor soccer, he added.

The building's various floors are being installed, including surfaces for its 50-by-84 and 38-by-72 foot gyms, Keeling said. Park board offices, a kitchen and a reception area complete the inside layout. The total project cost including furniture, equipment and finish landscaping will be about $1.3 million, he said. The building should be open for public use by June 3 with a formal dedication to be held some time in mid-June, he added.

Cox Fitness Center

More than 1,800 square feet of space for the Cox Fitness Center-Willard will be under a three-year lease to Cox Health Systems, said Chris Flour, director of Cox Fitness Centers.

We examined "the budget process thinking we would have (300 to 400) members the first year and then grow steadily at about a 10 percent rate annually." He said it could feasibly support up to 800 members. He would not disclose the cost to Cox for its lease arrangement

Cybex weight-resistance ma-chines, treadmills, elliptical trainers, cycles, rowing ma-chines and free weights will outfit Cox's area, Flour said. Aerobics, senior toning classes and mind-body programs, like yoga and tai chi, will likely be offered in the future, he added. Access will be via a security card system, and the minimum age to use the facility is 13, Flour added.

Hours for the Willard Recreation Center and the Cox Fitness Center are 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

The facility is located at 133 N. Hwy Z in Willard. There is no charge for use of the Willard Recreation Center. Usage fees for Cox's center are set up for individuals or families, with senior rates for those 65 or older.

Frisco Highline Trail

On June 1, the new Frisco Highline Trail Willard Trailhead will be dedicated for National Trails Day.

The trailhead, at Jackson Street and Highway O in Willard, marks the point where the public can access former Burlington Northern-Santa Fe rail corridor, which is now public-use space for biking, hiking or walking.

Ozark Greenways Inc. paid $93,000 to modify the trailhead, said Terry Whaley, executive director of the not-for-profit organization. Fifty percent of funds were provided by a Recreational Trails Program grant administered by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The other half came from an Ozark Greenways private capital campaign called "Greenways for the Future," he said.

The trailhead property was part of a 30-mile corridor of track between Willard and Bolivar acquired by Ozark Greenways from Burlington Northern-Santa Fe in 1994 for $645,000, Whaley said.

Owenby Associates Land-scape Architecture/Planning designed the trailhead's 3 1/2 acres into an organically shaped parking lot, said Lori Tack, program coordinator for Ozark Greenways.

To facilitate its public use, it will be outfitted with picnic tables and benches.

Landscapes Awarded in-stalled the irrigation system and landscaped the area with berms, trees and islands of green, Whaley said. The focal point is a wooden arbor built by David Lowry, adjunct instructor for Ozarks Technical Com-munity College, with the help of Department of Youth Services participants.

On Dec. 30, 2001 Ozark Greenways closed a deal with Burlington Northern-Santa Fe to buy six additional miles of railroad corridor between Willard and Springfield for $10,422, including $1,200 in legal fees, Whaley said. The $217,600 cost to develop this segment, will be covered by $217,000 of Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21st Century funds and an Ozark Greenways 20-percent match of $43,600.

Whaley said bid packages and design plans should be ap-proved by the Missouri Depart-ment of Transportation this fall for the new segment. He anticipated the corridor would be finished by early summer 2003.

In the future, the Frisco Highline Trail will stretch into Springfield itself, Whaley said. Our eventual plan "is to get across West Bypass and come back to the east and trace our way into some point into either the north part of Springfield, (a) Commercial Street neighborhood or ultimately, Jordan Valley Park."

Additional events held in connection with Willard's National Trails Day will be the Willard Area Chamber of Commerce's garage sale, a 5k walk/run, an MS150 bicycle training ride, an historic bicycle display, a performance by Willard's Stars & Steeds drill team, and a Lions Club barbecue. The ribbon cutting for the trailhead will be at 11:15 a.m. according to the Ozark Greenways Web site at www.ozarkgreenways.org.