When Ernie Penn first took office as the mayor of Farmington, the city had just over 1,300 residents and little in the way of amenities, he said. “We did not have any parks of any kind whatsoever or any major residential developments anywhere.” Over the 24 years he’s been in office, the city has grown to more than 10,000 people, and its investment in public spaces has grown with it. Creekside Park is now one of Farmington’s most popular spots, and city officials say a planned trail connection to Fayetteville will build on that momentum.
Creekside Park began with a donation from a local family, the Greens. “We were lucky, and we got some property given to us, and it was rough,” Penn said. “We had to basically go out there and clear it ourselves. We got some grants to get us started.”
It existed for years in a modest form. “Just a walking trail, a playground and a basketball court,” Public Works Director Tanner Denham said. After voters approved a bond issue in 2017, the city completed major upgrades in 2019 that added play structures, courts, a pavilion, a “ninja” course and other improvements, giving the park a new life.
The ninja warrior-style extreme obstacle course is designed for both play and fitness, and it quickly became one of the park’s standout additions—and one of the first of its kind in the state, Penn said. “That was kind of a unique request. The first day that we opened it, it wasn’t necessarily the adults that were using it. It was the kids. And we had little kids, we had medium size kids, and we had adults…people who worked out and they’d be over there using that equipment. So, with it being unique, it was also very attractive to people from other communities to come over and use it.”
Denham said the community’s response to the improvements was immediate. “People wouldn’t let [the new surfaces] dry. They wanted on them so quick. It’s always packed down there.” A new trail counter shows how often the park is used. “We’ve had over 20,000 people that have walked by since the first of the year,” he said.
Farmington expects that number to rise once a new multi-use path connecting Creekside Park to Fayetteville is complete. The route will tie into Fayetteville’s trail system and, ultimately, to the Razorback Greenway, giving residents a wider, safer and more consistent path for both recreation and transportation. Funding for the project comes from a mix of state, federal and private sources. The city received about $900,000 in Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grants from the Arkansas Department of Transportation, which required an 80-20 match. The Walton Family Foundation provided an additional $450,000.
Denham believes the connection will bring more people into Farmington. “You’re going to have a lot more bike riders probably come in from the Fayetteville side. I think it’s going to unite the two cities as far as a trail system.” The path will also guide users directly through the 32-acre park’s amenities, including the disc golf course and activity areas.
As he prepares to leave office at the end of his final term, Penn said the work being done now will shape Farmington long after he’s gone. “I can come in here after I’m gone from office and see all the great things that we’ve done in our community. These trails are just going to give our community a lot more space and a lot more room to grow.”
About this Series
State of Play is a new series that explores how Arkansas cities and towns are investing in active, healthy lifestyles for their residents. From trail systems and bike infrastructure to parks, wellness programs and community design, each installment highlights local leaders and bold ideas reshaping what it means to live well in Arkansas. Sponsored by Municipal Health, State of Play celebrates the places where movement meets momentum.
