Selected by the City of Bentonville and the Walton Family Foundation Design Excellence Program, PORT led the planning, design, and implementation of this ambitious 110-acre new park project, 8th Street Gateway Park. The project is intended to be the center piece of the Bentonville Parks System and the western anchor of a nearly completed 25-mile multi-use trail system that surrounds the city. With Bentonville nearly doubling in population over the last decade, the 8th Street Gateway Park will serve both nearby residents in developing areas of the city, as well as regional audiences who come to Bentonville to enjoy the city’s extensive outdoor recreation.

The park is divided into three distinct zones—West Park, East Park, and the Park Core—each offering unique landscape characteristics and recreational opportunities:

• West Park focuses on neighborhood-scale amenities, including a gathering space called The Porch, a balance bike course, and shaded picnic areas.
• Park Core serves as the civic heart of the park, featuring a 1-acre destination playground, a pavilion inspired by local barn architecture, and a central plaza for events and community interaction.
• East Park emphasizes ecological restoration and beginner mountain biking, with trails weaving through enhanced wetlands and woodlands.

The park also integrates sustainable design strategies, including storm water filtration systems and native planting, to enhance the Elk River Watershed. Elevated pedestrian bridges, known as the Gateway Ring, connect key park areas and provide scenic overlooks that highlight the site’s rich natural features.