Grand opening held for Emmet pavilion

EMMET – It’s been almost a year in the making, but Emmet’s pavilion at Firemen’s Park has gone from a dream to a reality.

Ribbon cutting ceremonies were held Friday, Dec. 22, at the park for the pavilion. The city was awarded a $100,000 fun park grant from the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, with ground broken on July 24.

Several people braved the threat of rain to be present at the ribbon cutting. Emmet Mayor Dale Booker said it took a lot of people  a lot of hard work to get to this point.

He added this is a wonderful occasion and it’s great to have a facility like this as a lot of places don’t have anywhere to meet. He thanked everyone involved, especially the Emmet Vision Association (EVA) for all it did to make this a reality. He told those gathered the EVA worked long and hard planning for this. He also lauded Spears Engineering for the design and Mack Harmon the contractor. He pointed out JoAnn Muldrew was a major part of this project.

The pavilion, he continued, can be used for different things, such as weddings, birthdays and farmer’s markets.

DeAnna Allen, with EVA, introduced the Emmet City Council, thanking them for being forward thinking on this project. She said it stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and is a symbol of progress and a beacon of hope for the community. She also recognized those who helped.

Muldrew added her appreciation and said she’s looking forward to the different activities that will occur at the pavilion. She called for the formation of a committee to work on future projects for Emmet, saying young people need to be involved.