Third Ward Councilman Lanette Frazier’s project to turn an abandoned baseball park into a multipurpose facility has secured a big donation from an upstart carbon removal company in Pine Bluff.
Graphyte CEO Barclay Rogers announced Monday his company has donated $25,000 to the project at the old Bush Field, a Babe Ruth League facility at 2601 Arlington St. that has not been used in years. Frazier’s vision is to convert Bush Field, which was donated to the city by the Pine Bluff chapter of the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters, into a baseball, basketball, football and skate park.
“I’m starting at the infant stage of building my park, and Graphyte is starting at the infant stage of building its company, so we’re kind of growing together,” Frazier said. “For us to be partnering together to make sure both sides have the resources and things we need is just phenomenal.”
Frazier said Mayor Shirley Washington introduced Rogers to her at Graphyte’s April ribbon cutting after Rogers indicated he was interested in giving back to the community. Rogers didn’t hesitate to contribute, according to Frazier.
“I was really, really excited that he was all in and about the fact that he was telling me how his family sowed into a park to help revitalize it,” Frazier said. Rogers’ grandmother Lillian was a justice of the peace in Jefferson County who obtained funding to revitalize a park in Tucker.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Graphyte, Rogers said, firmly believes in being a good member of the community.
“We want to be involved and create jobs and be good citizens of the Pine Bluff community,” Rogers said.
“When I first talked with Mayor Washington a year or more ago, I said ‘We would like to contribute to the community, but you need to tell me how,'” Rogers said. “I’m not coming to tell you I want to do this thing in the community. I need you to tell me what your community needs.'”
Washington pondered what her city’s needs were, by Rogers’ account, and told him about Frazier’s initiative.
“That felt like a very good way as to how Graphyte could signal its intention to partner with the city in a long-term way,” Rogers said.
Frazier’s goal for revitalizing the park is $2,638,865, which she plans to cover through fundraising from other entities. She contributed her $25,000 in discretionary funds from the mayor and has also been approved for $15,000 from fellow Third Ward Councilmember Glen Brown Sr.’s discretionary funds, to be approved by the council in a June meeting.
“It’s going to be a bit of money to get it going,” she said, “but what is so amazing is that we have so much support just to even maintain it.”
WE Center has contributed with mowing services, Frazier said.
She gained ideas for the park from touring similar projects in Little Rock with Councilman-elect William Fells III.
Structures at Bush Field will begin to be demolished June 4, Frazier said. The city’s Economic and Community Department will pay Chestnut Construction $23,200 to have it demolished, department Director Larry Matthews said.
Frazier said donations can be made through the United Way of Southeast Arkansas by visiting https://uwseark.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=6 , filling out the information and selecting “3rd Ward Park Restoration” under Donation Designation. Checks may be written directly to City of Pine Bluff with “3rd Ward Park Restoration” written in the memo.
“Truth be told, I feel like, sometimes, not that downtown doesn’t need to be taken care of and not that other things don’t need to be taken care of, but it’s just that we’re usually the last ones on the totem pole on the west side,” Frazier said. “I’m grateful that we can bring this multipurpose sports park here and playground for our ward, but I’m not doing it by myself. Everybody is willing to help me.”