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ABOUT US

Our Mission

The mission of the Hillcrest Residents Association is to encourage a sense of community, preserve historic character, promote safety, protect the parks, and support the neighborhood schools and commercial district in Hillcrest. 

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From the President

Welcome to the Hillcrest Residents Association!
 

In Hillcrest, we all feel a great sense of pride in our historic homes, our beautiful parks, our local shops, amazing restaurants, and especially our exceptional neighbors who call Hillcrest home. You know you live in a special place when it takes you two hours to “run to Kroger” or cannot walk down the business district without knocking on a window to wave hello to a familiar face. You know you live in a special place when your neighbor watches your house when you're out of town, or drops by a little gift of something newly baked. No matter how isolated we have felt over the last few years, in Hillcrest, you always know that you are not alone.

 

We embrace the stereotypes of a Hillcrestian. A little artsy, a little eclectic, a little eccentric. But we do so knowing that a hand outstretched means more than a closed fist. That the well-being of our friends is as important as our own, that when our neighbors thrive, so do we.

 

In the daily grind of raising a family or growing our business, we can always stop and take great pride in this place we call home.

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Pittman Ware 

HRA Board President

Board Accomplishments

Arts & Aesthetics

  • Established a committee to bring more art to our neighborhood

  • Hosted an art forum that included many artists to collaborate and prioritize programs

  • Chose three projects to focus on in the immediate future: 

    • Neighborhood mural​

    • Art to call attention to key crosswalks

    • Expansion of Crest Park

 

Communication and Outreach

  • Established a strong media presence through weekly eblasts and our Facebook page 

  • Posted Facebook content with meetings reminders; events; community issues and opportunities; local business promotions; local schools’ promotions and events; and preservation and history 

  • Currently updating our website to be a better resource for Hillcrest issues and activities
     

Preservation and Planning

  • Preservation and Planning Committee established. 

  • Created a Design Ordinance Committee

  • DOD recommendations were established and passed by HRA Board

  • Created a Design Overlay District flyer for which we won the Preserve Arkansas’s 2020 Award for Outstanding Achievement in Preservation
     

Preservation & Planning Advocacy

  • Created and distributed the Historic Neighborhood Design Handbook for which we won the Preserve Arkansas’s 2020 Outstanding Achievement in Preservation Education

  • Hosted DOD forums with community

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Parks

  • Worked with the City of Little Rock to acquire sculpture on promenade, as well as a donation and advocacy for the project. 

  • At least two clean up and planting work-days in Allsopp Park and Knoop 

  • Sponsorship of memorial bench in Knoop Park

  • Supported and advocated for bicycle path in Allsopp Park

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Schools

  • Hosted drive by party for Hillcrest graduates and purchased and displayed banners.

  • Supported several school programs and projects

  • Sponsorship of school programs and events

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Schools Advocacy

  • Lobbied LRSD leadership for rezoning of schools

  • Sponsored and advocated at HarvestFest

  • Held forums and submitted input to City on Short-Term Rental policy in Little Rock

  • Held Forum on UAMS construction and street changes

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Membership

  • Increased membership by 150% building a stronger, more diverse voice for our neighborhood

  • Developed a recruitment plan to continue building membership

  • Began automatic invoices for annual membership renewals

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Organizational Accomplishments

  • Purchased Zoom account and established protocol for virtual meetings, continuing all meetings during pandemic. 

  • Safety Committee meetings with local police and other groups

  • New by-laws developed and approved

Board
Leadership

Officers

President

Pittman Ware​

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Vice President
Antoinette Johnson

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Secretary

April Panian

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Treasurer

Jan Hollenberg

Board Members

Antoinette Johnson 

April Panian

Jan Hollenberg

Janet Flegal

Jessica Bartnik Saunders

Caroline Reddmann

Laurel Lawrence

Barbara Miles

Ross Noland

Pittman Ware

Karen Ryall 

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HMA Liaison

Karen Konarski-Hart

Committees

Executive Committee

​Chair: Pittman Ware

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Arts & Aesthetics

Co- Chair: Tommy Jameson

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Communications 

​Chair: Barbara Miles

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Design Overlay District

Chair: Bruce McMath

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Membership

Chair: Karen Ryall

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Parks

Chair: Daniel Bryant

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Preservation & Planning

Chair: Bob Keltner

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Safety

Chair: Alex Winans

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Schools

Chair: Jessica Bartnik

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