Las Vegas Trail Plans Move Forward (NV)

Las Vegas, NV, 8/29/2007: The Trust for Public Land and the City of Las Vegas announced another step forward today in their efforts to create a trail along the Las Vegas Wash. The Nevada Division of State Lands awarded $2.15 million for the purchase of a 4.61 acre neighborhood park site and trail head. The parcel is located near the northeast corner of Lamb Blvd. and Washington Ave., and is the third acquisition completed along the 20-mile Las Vegas Wash Trail Corridor. The city will be applying for Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act funding for its design and construction.

“This is the third acquisition in an ongoing effort to create new parks where people live in Las Vegas,” said Reed Holderman, TPL’s Western Regional Director. “The result will be a series of neighborhood parks connected by a regional trail along the wash. All together, the three new parks will add 13 acres to the City’s park system. That’s the equivalent of six baseball diamonds.”

“The city continues its commitment to add parks, trails and open space for its residents,” said Tom Perrigo, AICP, deputy director of the Planning & Development Department. “To date, over 13 acres have been acquired along the Las Vegas Wash Trail Corridor in neighborhoods of the eastern part of city that has been underserved with recreational facilities.”

The park and trail head will provide needed recreation amenities for the densely-populated surrounding neighborhood that currently has very little public park access. It is another significant part of the larger vision of a recreation corridor and neighborhood park system along the Las Vegas Wash. Both are goals expressed in the city’s Las Vegas 2020 Master Plan. Features such as paved walkways, play and picnic areas, landscaping and restrooms are planned for this park and trailhead.

This park is sorely needed in a densely populated neighborhood that lacks recreational amenities. It will connect to other neighborhood parks via the Las Vegas Wash Trail. Ultimately, the 20-mile section Las Vegas Wash Trail corridor will extend from Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Spring to the Lake Mead Recreational Area.

The Planning & Development Department worked with the Trust for Public Land (TPL) to acquire the site. The trust is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving land for people to enjoy as parks, community gardens, historic sites, rural lands and other natural places.

The Las Vegas Wash is also an important ecological resource for southern Nevada. The wash provides habitat to more than 300 fish and wildlife species and almost 300 species of plants. The trail’s developed and maintained pathways will enhance and protect the condition of the wash’s ecosystem while providing a recreational experience for trail users.