Who Flipped the Light Switch!

Getting Ready for the Total Solar Eclipse – the day the lights go out in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas!

Hot Springs Village is privileged to be directly aligned with the path of the upcoming total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024. Grab your special eclipse viewing glasses, because according to NASA, the next total solar eclipse over the United States will not occur until August 2044.

Because of the expected influx of visitors, Hot Springs Village General Manager Kelly Hale, Fire Chief Jason Miller, Police Chief Kristi Bennett, Communications/Growth Specialist Pam Avila, other POA staff, and the HSVPOA Communications Committee have been actively researching and planning for this momentous event.

The planners began working on this gargantuan task in April 2023, and on Thursday, January 4, 2024 they hosted an important Solar Eclipse Preparedness and Information meeting facilitated by Mark Smith, Chairman of the Communications Committee. Pam Avila and Gary Belair are the staff and board liaisons to the Communications Committee.

The POA estimates the Village will see around 10,000 guests, and because of this, they have created a plan and recommendations for area churches, businesses, and residents to ensure everyone knows what to expect and is prepared ahead of time.

In an email communication, Avila said, “Chances are good that Village restaurants will see a spike in business beginning Friday, April 5.” She asks what this spike in business will look like and if the area restaurants will break normal protocol and stay open on Sunday, April 7, and Monday, April 8. Many of the Village restaurants are normally closed on Sunday and Monday.

“How big of a business opportunity could the eclipse weekend provide here in HSV?” asked Avila

What to expect

Fire Chief Miller has been busy meeting county officials about solar eclipse preparedness. It is expected there will be 500,000 visitors to Garland County. It is also estimated by the Arkansas Department of Transportation that there will be two million people driving in and around Arkansas to see the total solar eclipse. Such movement will result in an estimated 700,000 vehicles. This large influx of visitors could result in gas shortages, scarcity of certain grocery items such as bread and milk, etc., and crowded restaurants and other businesses in the area.

Ten-year HSVPOA Fire Chief veteran Miller has been making eclipse preparations since April and presented PowerPoint slides to the interested crowd as he explained what to expect. See the eclipse timetable below.

For organizational purposes, Garland County will be divided into four quadrants, with Jessieville being designated for the Village. A Garland County Public Information Officer will be staged in Hot Springs.

First Aid / Ambulances – The Fire Chief said there are plans to have local first aid stations and mass triage available in the county. Extra Life Net (ambulance) units will be available in Garland County in addition to the three we have in the Village.

“With the extra traffic, it will be quite ‘busy’ to get a patient from Hot Springs Village to Hot Springs and then travel back, because we are going to have an overload of traffic,” explained Miller. Also, fire and police will be in full force.

The EMS folks are working on securing additional units. EMS vehicles will be brought in from other areas, and a strike team from Missouri will be on hand.

Garland County requests that if you don’t have a major emergency, don’t tie up the ambulances.

Port-a-Potties – A hundred port-a-potties were arranged for years in advance and will be available in the County.

Burn Ban – A burn ban will be in effect in the area, including areas surrounding the Village.

Camping – Miller said many campers would park in the area forests (outside the gates). Garland County has requested signs from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to indicate private, temporary campground locations throughout Garland County. Some property owners (outside the gates) will be leasing out camping spots. Coleman’s Rock Shop will be leasing out spots for tent campers.

Some of the campsites have a five-day minimum to hopefully encourage people to be stationary for a few days for a more even traffic flow.

State Parks – Hot Springs State Parks will remain open. West Mountain and Hot Springs Mountain Parks will be closed.

Wreckers – Garland County is working on creating a priority list of wrecker services in case of vehicle accidents.

Grocery and Pharmacy – Chief Miller asked the area grocery stores to be prepared with extra food staples such as bread, milk, and eggs and for the pharmacies to be well stocked.

Area Schools – All area schools will be closed on Monday, April 8. Jessieville and Fountain Lake schools will open their parking lots for viewing sites.

Hospitals – The hospitals will be looking for security personnel because all of the law enforcement officers who normally fill the role of hospital security will be working on eclipse detail. There will be no paid time off (PTO) for LEOs.

Clinics – All of the Clinics will be open. (CHI, National Park, and Healthy Connections)

Law Enforcement Officers – There will be two officers per unit in most if not all, areas. The Forestry Officers will also be on duty. The State Police focal point will be Interstate 30. Travelers will come from the north and south, even as far as California.

Sanitation / Trash – Garland County Waste Transfer Stations will be open. Trash pickup in the Village on Monday, April 8 may be delayed due to the difficulty of accessing the Waste Transfer Stations. More information to come.

Churches – might want to help prepare their congregants for this unusual weekend to ensure they know to grocery shop and gas up early in the preceding week. This meeting will provide the information they need to share.

Hotels – All of the area hotels and vacation rentals are booked.

Smith exclaimed, “There are two main goals for the weekend. One is to show off the Village, and the other is to have fun! “

The committee’s two main concerns are educating the public and having enough volunteers. The Communications Committee feels that if you “get people in here, the Village will sell itself. “

Weekend Events

The Communications Committee is responsible for the organization of weekend events inside the gates, which will include

• Solar Eclipse presentation (Friday, April 5)
• Evening Lions Bingo (Friday, April 5)
• Miniature Golf Tournament – Optimist Club (Saturday, April 6)
• BBQ dinner – Kiwanis
• Bird-watching excursion – Audubon Society
• Free Concert Colt and the Old 45’s – VCA Saturday, April 6th, 2024, at 7 p.m., at the Woodlands Auditorium…..this “free” concert is first come, first served, open to all of Hot Springs Village. They expect a full house. In case you don’t score a seat inside, plan to bring your own chairs to their giant dance floor, better known as the porte cochere or portico, where the music will be broadcast.
• Food Trucks
  • Bubba Smith (will be grilling at the Balboa Pavilion on Sunday, April 7)
  • Clampits (will be at the Woodlands at Ponce de Leon Center on Saturday evening (April 6)
  • Junior Garret (will be providing food service at the Balboa Baptist Church Fun and Games event at the Balboa Pavilion on Monday, April 8.)
• Assistance to help set up cameras – Camera Club – (Sunday, April 7)
• 18 Hole golf tournament – Okey Bess and Jim Rice
• Diamante Picnic – Carol Ansley Bodge (classic cars, pickleball clinic, golf demonstration area, disc jockey)
• Lighted Boat parade – Balboa Yacht Club
• Anglers Club Fishing Tournament
• Fun and Games at the Balboa Pavilion – Balboa Baptist Church (Monday, April 8)
• Children’s Games and Bounce House (Monday, April 8)

Stay tuned for additional solar eclipse weekend activity details as the date of the eclipse nears.

There are also many scheduled festivals in the area outside of the Village.

Eclipse Viewing Sites

Because the vast majority of Villagers live in heavily wooded areas, viewing sites will be designated for “watch parties.” Some churches plan to offer their locations for viewing. More information on this to come.

General Manager Kelly Hale

GM Kelly Hale said, “I have been attending meetings with the counties and states for almost a year to prepare for this. We aim to treat this like a July 4th weekend for the capacity rate. That is the model we are going to use.”

“This meeting [today] is about us wanting to communicate to the vendors and everyone else about how large an impact this will have on the area,” stated Hale. Hale said they are trying to help the restaurants and businesses understand that this is a big deal and to plan for the increase in business.

“My biggest concerns are safety and fun,” explained the GM. “Drivers do not always watch the roads carefully, so I am concerned about vehicle crashes, slips, and falls. Is it going to happen? I guarantee.”

Hale said they are working with the realtors to educate people from other states about the Village. There will be first-time visitors here. “We want to enhance their experience.”

“We want to do something fun for the kids in the Ponce de Leon parking lot. The kids will be out of school.”

“Someone asked me, ‘Hey, what are your plans for the Village during the eclipse? Are you going to open the gates?'” Hale said that is the last thing he would do. “No. No. It is still a private, gated community. Do we want to promote it and sell it? Yes. But the majority of people who move here come from referrals.” All guests must be sponsored, and members are responsible for their guests.

Hale said there may be some free amenities during the eclipse weekend.

Hale wants to have a good relationship with the business owners. Additional communications will be going out through Pam Avila.

By Cheryl Dowden

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