SPRINGDALE (KFSM) -- The Walmart Foundation presented a $290,000 grant to the Jones Center in Springdale Tuesday (Dec. 13).
This grant will help the Jones Center with general operating support and to plan for the future. Walmart Foundation Senior Manager Erin Hogue said they are happy to support the center’s mission.
“We know the impact they have in our community and we want to be a part of that and support them and our local communities in any way that we can," she said. "They are the ones that have the hard job, they work every day."
Jones Center President and CEO Ed Clifford said this money will also help the center fund a strategic plan to transform the facility. The fitness center is next on the list.
“It will triple the size of it. It will probably be comparable to anything that is in Northwest Arkansas right now. I saw a list of the equipment and it’s pretty awesome. The way we present food will be changed quite a bit and Tyson will help with that,” Clifford said.
Starting Monday (Dec. 19), the west entrance to the center will close in preparation for construction to begin on phase two of the $5 million renovation, which they expect to be completed in July.
Jones Center Chief Advancement Officer Kelly Kemp-McLintock said the west entrance is the entrance commonly used by swimmers and fitness center users. This area will be transformed into the Tyson Foods Fitness and Food Wing.
Kemp-McLintock said updating the 21-year-old facility is in step with the revitalization going on downtown.
“Whether they come here early in the morning to do lap swimming or our fitness center and go to work or come over at noon. It really adds to the quality of life in our region,” she said.
All the programs and amenities will be available during construction and they expect phase three and four of renovations to be complete by 2019.