Eureka Springs Parks and Recreation Director Sam Dudley is 1-0 when it comes to statewide grants.

Dudley found out on Monday, Dec. 1, that his department has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism for a project to build a new bathhouse at Lake Leatherwood City Park.

“We are SO excited to announce that we have been selected by the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism for a matching grant in 2026 that will be used for construction of a new bathhouse facility at Lake Leatherwood City Park,” Dudley wrote on the parks department’s Facebook page on Dec. 1. “Thanks to everyone who made this possible!”

The grant, the first of its kind that Dudley has applied for, will be used to construct a new bathhouse equipped with showers, a laundry area and be ADA compliant.

Dudley gave a presentation on the project in Little Rock in October and felt his limited time with the selection committee went well.

“The day after the last meeting I went to Little Rock and it went really well,” Dudley told members of the parks commission at its Nov. 18 regular meeting. “It’s kind of hard to know given the time they gave me to present it whether or not they liked it. It seemed to have everyone’s attention and they liked the idea of the project.

“I think everyone likes Eureka Springs so all those things help.”

Dudley presented the idea of the grant request to the city council in August. Council members unanimously approved the plan, which requires the parks department to contribute $200,000 of the costs while the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism will award the remaining $200,000.

Dudley told council members in August that his department would possibly look into a loan to help with the initial $400,000 cost of the project, until the city receives the matching part of the grant.

A separate project would then renovate the current bathhouse, Dudley said.