Activity Center weathers storm
Posted on Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Residents all over Benton County were awakened early Friday morning when a severe storm rolled through the area. One Siloam Springs teenager was killed when a tree crashed into her bedroom.
According to a release issued by the Benton County Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, storm spotters began tracking a line of severe thunderstorms at 3: 30 a.m. Thursday. Between 4: 15 a.m. and 4: 45 a. m., parts of Benton County took the brunt of the blow, particularly in sections of Siloam Springs, Gentry, Centerton, Bentonville and Avoca, the release states.
Storm damage in Rogers was concentrated in an area behind the Rogers Activity Center, just off of Olive Street. According to Parks and Rec Director Rick Stocker a dozen large trees were down around the soccer fields and the roof and one wall of the recycling center building was "pushed in."
"I don't know how to describe it," Stocker said, adding that it might have been a microburst that caused the damage. Northside Elementary School, located on the far side of the soccer fields was not damaged, he said.
The roof of one of the T-ball dugouts was peeled back and when the trees fell, several fences were damaged.
"I got a call from one of the guys at the center when I was on my way in, and he said I had to get there because part of the building was gone," said Ron Brewer, supervisor of the Rogers Community Recycling Center. "The whole west roof and wall were torn off and laid over on the backside of the building. For safety reasons, we can't run any material until we get it fixed.
Brewer said the damaged section of the building housed recycling equipment for white paper and cardboard. He said residents can continue to bring recyclables to the center and that he hoped it would be up and running at full capacity again by next week.
A plan in the works to move the Recycling Center won't affect the repairs, Stocker said. Operations will probably continue at the present location for at least several months. He had no estimate on the cost of repairs to the building, but he said the rafters and joists appeared to be secure, the metal "skin"was simply peeled off.
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