City leaders in Ozark are looking to expand nature areas and park systems, after hearing from people who say that's what the town needs.

Samantha Payne, Ozark's Parks and Recreation Director, said the city put together a Master Parks Plan in 2018, with help from a consultant and community surveys. She said a bulk of residents said they wanted to see more trails and maybe a community forest.

Josh Swait has lived in Ozark for six years. He said he loves being outside. He even started an online outdoor apparel store.

"It calms my mind. It is a good release and you get a little bit of a workout, you get your heart rate up," Swait said.

That's why he spends time driving Springfield, Highlandville or even Ponca, Ark. to go on a hike. A couple times a week, though, he settles for walking the trail behind the Ozark Community Center.

"That's pretty much all we have available here," he said.

After hearing from several outdoor enthusiasts like Swait, the city of Ozark is trying to change that.

Payne said there are a lot of opportunities for nature areas in Ozark.

"Ozark's beautiful," she said.

She said she hopes to upgrade the city's parks, plant a community forest and expand the trail system.

“That’s what people love, being along the trails and seeing the trees. We’re just trying to make sure that we don’t allow those areas to all be gone," Payne said.

She said the city has several ideas for new trails. One of them would connect the trail behind the Ozark Community Center to the OTC campus in town. Payne said she'd eventually like to see Ozark and Springfield connected by walking trails.

Projects like that can be expensive. Payne said part of the revenue from Ozark's transportation sales tax is dedicated to the parks department, but that won't cover all the costs.

"We're trying to make that money go as far as possible when we pair it with extra grant money," she said.

Payne said Ozark has already been awarded five grants in the last few years, and she plans to push forward to keep upgrading the city, so more people like Swait can enjoy the outdoors in their own town.

"Having a trail here local would just be amazing. I'd definitely use it and I know a lot of other people would, too," Swait said.

Payne said people are already visiting Ozark for antique shopping and the Finley River, and having more nature areas could lead to even more visitors contributing to the local economy.

"There are a lot of things that draw people to Ozark, and I think that’s another amenity we can offer to them while we’re here," she said.

Payne said the city is also looking to upgrade playground equipment. She said, right now, the city is deciding which grants to apply for to pursue the projects for the trails, community forest and park upgrades.

To take a look at Ozark's full Master Park Plan, click

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