Page 6 - 2025 Van Buren Chamber Community Profile

COMMUNITY
Welcome to Van Buren!

Seizing the Opportunity for Growth

The Van Buren Chamber hopes you
take the time to explore our community
and all of the wonderful things it has
to offer. And when you’re through
exploring, you’ll understand why Van
Buren is the eighth fastest growing city
in the state.
Van Buren offers the optimum mix
of location, transportation, education,
and recreation to meet the wants and
needs of our growing community. This
combination has positioned us well to
seize an opportunity for growth unlike
any other time in our recent history.
Strong bonds between city and county
government, the business community,
educators, and area non-profit agencies
have created an environment of positive
change. The Van Buren Chamber is
proud to facilitate and help steer the
partnerships formed in recent years to
benefit the city and region. Stakeholders in the future Van Buren Chamber Business Resource Center celebrate the
Teamwork is a vital component of beginning of renovations on the former library building on October 25, 2024. See the story on
this ongoing development. Partnerships page 59. Photo by Ailia Heilman, The Chamber.
between the Chamber and key entities Our community boasts many parks, and Arkansas Tech University – Ozark
have helped foster an environment of with amenities such as golf and disc golf Campus. Arkansas Colleges of Health
creativity and problem solving, which has courses, softball and baseball fields, Education in Fort Smith also offers
led to higher quality of place and overall walking trails, mountain bike trails, picnic post-graduate degrees in a variety of
living. These factors help in recruiting pavilions, and playgrounds. The new health sciences, including Osteopathic
and retaining talent, and in encouraging skate park has proven to be a popular Medicine, Occupational and Physical
others to visit or build their lives here. spot for local youth. Therapy.
We are more than a “crossroads Boating, canoeing, and kayaking are Cost of housing, food, and utilities
community” – although the intersection also available on area waterways. Four in our area continues to be some of
of US Highway 71 and Interstate 40 has Arkansas State Parks (Lake Fort Smith, the most affordable in the region, and
provided a stimulus for our growth over Devils Den, Lake Dardanelle, and Mount availability of buildable land makes Van
the years. Our convenient location and Magazine) are also within an hour and a Buren an attractive spot for developers
access to these busy transportation half drive of Van Buren. and builders.
corridors gives us access to amenities As you will quickly learn while reading Served by railroad, interstate
unlike most communities our size. this magazine, there is no shortage of highways, and a major river port,
You can spend the day strolling things to experience in our region. Fort industries relying on accessibility to the
through our historic downtown – Smith is just across the Arkansas River, central United States continue to choose
shopping, enjoying a meal or a good Fayetteville is less than an hour north on Van Buren to produce and/or ship their
book, stopping by our visitor’s center I-49, and Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and Little products. The city’s industrial park houses
at the Train Depot, or cooling off at the Rock are less than three hours away by several manufacturers, distributors, and
splash pad. A wide variety of locally car. transportation companies who have
owned and recognizable national chain Van Buren boasts a public school been able to take advantage of the
restaurants provide opportunities for district that prioritizes student success, proximity to these thoroughfares.
dining and evening entertainment. from pre-K through Adult Education. The Van Buren Chamber welcomes
The adjacent Arkansas River is a great New career-focused options have been you to our community and looks forward
place to test your fishing skills, as are created to help students experience to helping you learn more about our
neighboring Lee Creek and nearby Frog internships in several fields. Post- vibrant region. Whether you are passing
Bayou. Cast your line and you may catch secondary degrees and certificate through or looking for a place to relocate
one of several species of bass, crappie, programs are available through the your home or business, we thank you for
and catfish. University of Arkansas – Fort Smith choosing Van Buren!
6 Van Buren Chamber 2025 Community Profile vanburenchamber.org