Walking my dogs recently near the Firehouse Museum and Hostel in MacArthur Park Historic District, I ran into Anncha Briggs.
This wasn't too surprising, as Anncha, in her spare time (which can't be much; she's an interior designer, art consultant, curator of art exhibits, jewelry maker and peace activist), is a mover and shaker who was instrumental in the renovation of what used to be Firehouse No. 2, a 1917 Craftsman-style structure in disrepair, into a city-owned museum for early 20th-century firefighting artifacts as well as a reasonably priced accommodation for travelers in the middle of Little Rock's oldest neighborhoods.
Along with the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, MacArthur Park Historic District is home to MacArthur Unleashed, a two-acre dog park (across from the Bowen Law School) surrounded by a sturdy five-foot chain link perimeter fence, with two double gates near which there are prominent rules signs. There's a separate area for smaller dogs (under 30 pounds), pet waste disposal stations, and watering stations.
Sounds like the perfect canine romp space, right? Well, almost. What it doesn't have is shade. It did when it opened in 2013, but its trees died.
Anncha and I got to talking about the dog park, and I casually mentioned I wished it had a shelter to provide shade in the summer and a place to hide out from the rains. With her signature intensity, she immediately embraced that idea, and she's doing something about it: Competition Little Rock 2024.
According to a release from organizers, creative ideas are needed to establish a symbol for MacArthur Park to serve as a place marker for the southeastern end of the park, as well as create relief from the weather (hot/cold/wet) for dogs.
There is no cost to enter this competition, which is welcoming submissions through Sept. 15. There's no cost to enter. A cash prize of $1,500 will be awarded to the first-place idea; second place gets $750, and third $250. (Fourth place, you're fired. No wait, that's for the office salesmen in “Glengarry Glen Ross.”)
To register, email your name and professional affiliation (if any; you needn't be an architect or design professional or engineer or builder), with MacPark Design Competition in the subject line, to studiomainar@gmail.com. Include a brief description of your interest in this competition, and why it is important to you.
Address questions about submissions to tim@hwarch.com; responses will be forwarded to all accepted entrants. More information on the dog park can be found at https://www.macarthurparklr.org/dog-park.
The judges–including representatives of AMFA, Little Rock Parks and Recreation, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and the MacPark Group–will be looking for innovative structure concepts, sustainability, suitability, and ability to stay within a construction budget (not yet determined, but it's anticipated that funds available will be in the range of $50,000-$60,000).
Considerations include:
–How does your design address the shade and gathering requirements of patrons of the park?
–How does your design establish a structure establishing and identifying the southern end of MacArthur Park to those within and outside of the park?
–Is your design as sustainable as possible, considering practices such as alternative energy sources and carbon reduction?
–Does your design address the safety and security for patrons of the park, and does it retain its identity and visibility after dark?
The judges will narrow down submissions to seven finalists to be presented at a public event in late October. That's where the public will be invited to vote on the winner.
I can send you more details; I've got plenty, as I'm one of the judges. Hey, my dogs love that park and this was my idea, so let's make this space the best it can be.
Karen Martin is senior editor of Perspective.
kmartin@adgnewsroom.com
