New Fayetteville Parks This Fall: Underwood Opens, Walker Reopens and Bryce Davis Gets an Upgrade

Until this month, playing sand volleyball under the lights in Fayetteville meant heading north. "We have one really good facility up in the north part of the city," park planning superintendent Ted Jack told KUAF the day after Walker Park reopened. "Now, this one's in the south."

Within about six weeks, the City of Fayetteville is finishing three park projects: improvements at Bryce Davis Park in September, a reopened Walker Park on October 18, and a brand-new Underwood Park on November 1. Walker and Underwood were paid for mostly or partly by the parks bond Fayetteville voters approved in 2019. Each project fills a gap in a different part of town. If your weekend routine has been built around Wilson Park, Gulley Park or the north-side courts, your map just got wider.

Walker Park: the south side catches up

Walker Park is at 10 W. 15th St. and is Fayetteville's second-oldest park. Mayor Molly Rawn was frank about its recent past at the reopening. "In recent years we have allowed some of our other parks to outshine Walker," she said, as reported by the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. "And now, today, I will put this park up against any other park in our city."

The city puts the phase-one renovation of the park's south end at roughly $4 million to $5 million. To make room, the old baseball fields were moved to Kessler. Jack told the Democrat-Gazette the ball fields were "kind of singular in their use," and the goal was a park with "a lot of variety of uses." Here's what's there now:

• Three full-size lighted multipurpose fields along 15th Street, where the ball fields used to be. Two of them sit together, so the space can also be split into smaller fields. Jack said multipurpose field space was something the city was short on.
• Four lighted sand volleyball courts, the south-side counterpart to the north-side facility Jack mentioned.
• Bocce courts with artwork by Navarette, who also painted the park's basketball court about two years ago. The courts are labeled Bocce 1 and Bocce 2.
• Cornhole, horseshoe pits, a new pavilion and a restroom, all grouped near the bocce courts.
• Lighted pickleball, refurbished tennis courts and a rebuilt playground.
• The renovated old pavilion, which Jack called one of the most popular in Fayetteville. It now has a mural by Nvest on top.

The playground almost didn't happen. Jack told KUAF the city first thought about building one large playground on the north part of the park. Then residents spoke up for this spot:

"We got so much community input that that is such a special place for the groups, family get-togethers, church groups to come, and they needed a playground there. So we redid the playground there that was worn out."

Walker also sits right on the Razorback Greenway, which Jack called "such a cherry on top." His point was that riders and runners can simply stop, sit for a while or play a game of horseshoes. Biking there from the university side got easier this month too. Maple Street between the Greenway and Garland Avenue now has a two-way protected bike path, better pedestrian crossings and new landscaping, KNWA reported in October.

Underwood Park: a community park for the west side

Walker got an upgrade. Underwood is brand new. When the City announced the groundbreaking in September 2025, it said Underwood "fills a critical gap in access to community park space for Fayetteville's fast-growing west side." It will be the city's fifth community park, joining Gulley, Wilson, Walker and Bryce Davis.

The land has a long history. According to KUAF's groundbreaking coverage, it was once planned as Far West Seminary, which never quite opened. It later became home to Ozark Institute, a boys' school, from 1848 until 1872. For many years after that it was the Razorback Golf Course, until Craig and Laura Underwood bought it in 2017. The Underwoods gave the city 38 acres and made another 20 acres available through a no-cost lease.

Phase one includes a playground, pickleball and basketball courts, walking paths, restrooms and small pavilions. At the 2025 groundbreaking, Mayor Rawn told KUAF the phase-one plans included ziplines, a tree deck, log balance bars and a giant woven nest.

If you're going to the opening this Sunday:

1. When: Sunday, November 1. The City lists the ribbon-cutting from 2 to 4 p.m., and family activities follow. Watch the city's channels for the activity schedule, since it was still to be announced as of October 19.
2. Where: Off N. Deane Solomon Road. The main entrance is between N. Floral Court and W. Vanike Drive.
3. Parking: Phase one includes an entry drive and parking areas north of Clabber Creek.
4. By trail: The Clabber Creek Trail runs east to west through the park. It connects Underwood to the Gary Hampton Softball Complex and the Wilson Springs Nature Preserve next door.

Families who already use the Clabber Creek Trail or bring kids to games at Gary Hampton can now add a playground and courts to the same outing without getting back in the car.

Bryce Davis Park: small fixes that matter

Bryce Davis was already one of the city's community parks, and this project focused on comfort. About $1 million went to shade sails over the existing playground, two new swing sets, another pavilion with picnic tables, new perimeter fencing and a rebuilt wetland pavilion.

The changes most likely to shift your routine are at the dog park and on the trail. The dog park now has an accessible plaza and a dog wash station, plus updates to shade, seating and drainage. About 1,500 feet of trail between N. Dartmouth Avenue and N. Merion Way at The Links now has lights. With early sunsets coming, that's the stretch to know about for evening walks. The City noted that some areas would stay roped off while new grass takes hold. The park is at 1595 N. Dartmouth Ave.

Which park for which plan

What's still planned

None of these parks is finished, and the next phases keep filling the same gaps. At Walker, Jack told the Democrat-Gazette that future phases include a streamside connection to one of the playgrounds, a climbing wall and forest restoration. He told KUAF the climbing feature would sit right at the Greenway entrance, with "people all over these rocks," and that "there won't be anything like it in the city."

Underwood's approved master plan imagines a lot more for the west side. It includes a splash pad, dog park, fishing piers, disc golf, kayak and paddleboard access, a food-truck court and a hammock area. KUAF reported that phase two is expected to bring disc golf, a dog park and water recreation. No construction dates have been announced for later phases at either park, so for now these are plans.

At Walker's reopening, Mayor Rawn told the Democrat-Gazette that "every family in Fayetteville deserves access to a park with wonderful amenities like this one," regardless of ZIP code. This fall's projects put that idea on the map with lighted sand volleyball on the south side, a community park on the west side, and a dog wash station on North Dartmouth.

I'd love to hear which of these parks becomes part of your week, whether it's bocce at Walker or a Sunday afternoon at Underwood's opening. If you're wondering how a new park might shape daily life on your corner of Fayetteville, Becky Carter Realtor is always glad to talk it through. Let's Connect.