Association hands final payment for green space to City Council
Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2008
A total of $31,500 was given to the Fayetteville City Council Tuesday night when the Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association celebrated the final payment on the Mount Sequoyah Woods property and the Brooks-Hummell property.
Pete Heinzelmann, chairman of the association, said the group raised around $300,000 to pay the city for the Mount Sequoyah Woods property and around $189,000 to pay it for the Brooks-Hummell property, both important parts of the city’s natural beauty and heritage.
“It’s hard to believe we’ve raised that much when you look back, but little by little we did,” Heinzelmann said during a phone interview Tuesday.
The association approached the council in 2003 and asked to purchase the 67-acre Mount Sequoyah Woods property to protect some of the city’s remaining green space. Despite two offers on the table from people hoping to develop the property, the city agreed to work with the association to purchase the land.
“What do we do with this heritage? Do we save it and pass it on? Or is it gone? Fortunately and thankfully, you all have saved it and passed it on,” Heinzelmann told the council Tuesday.
The association also partnered with local businessmen Jim Lindsey and Bill Underwood to build a pavilion on the Mount Sequoyah Woods property. The $80,000 used for the pavilion was deducted from the $300,000 the association owed the city. It was designed and built by Robert Runyun.
In 2007 the council partnered with the association again to purchase a 14-acre slice of land in the middle of town called the Brooks-Hummell property. Heinzelmann said it is full of natural beauty and life that Fayetteville could not afford to lose.
“It all improves the quality of life in Fayetteville,” Heinzelmann said of the land purchased.
Fayetteville Mayor Dan Coody took the opportunity to thank the association for its work to preserve the city’s green space.
“There are a lot of good gifts that are given to the city but this is going to rank among the best,” Coody said.
Heinzelmann said in the phone interview that he’s happy Fayetteville chose to preserve.
“It starts the momentum and the mindset for people in Fayetteville that this is an important thing to do,” Heinzelmann said.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
