Last week the city of Searcy announced that Whitlow Engineering Services will create a plan to improve Riverside Park.

City alderman Logan Cothern said the Searcy Regional Economic Development Corporation (SREDC) received a $50,000 grant to begin plans for improvement and once that plan is in place he said he hopes it will be easier to find funding.

Adam Whitlow, president of Whitlow Engineering Services, said a timeline for the project has not been created but they have been working with SREDC for the last few months.

“It’ll be a lengthy process,” Whitlow said. “The first thing we’ll do is evaluate all the potential ideas the city gave us.”

Whitlow said some of those ideas include new playground equipment, sand volleyball courts, an amphitheater, campsites and a grassy area for lawn games and picnics. He said the next step in the process is to meet with the SREDC and Searcy Parks and Recreation to prioritize the list.

“Economies of scale and the reality of the funding available will dictate a lot of that,” Buck Layne, president of the Searcy Chamber of Commerce, said. “Once the plan is completed and things are discussed, a plan of action will be developed in regard to fundraising and other opportunities.”

Cothern said no decisions have been made about what changes will occur in Riverside Park, but he wanted to add an extension to the bike trail.

“We’ve talked about walking trails, improving the dock area and a Frisbee golf course,” Cothern said. “We’ve been talking about that for a while, but we didn’t have the funds.”