27 months late, Rainbow Park scheduled to open next month

Denise Cardinal

Friday, Feb. 27, 1998 | 10:09 a.m.

In what could be one of the longest-running construction projects for the city of Las Vegas Parks and Leisure Activities Department, Rainbow Park will finally celebrate its grand opening on March 21.

The park, made up of ballfields and some playground equipment at the corner of Oakey and Rainbow boulevards, has been a problem for the city since 1994 when construction started.

With $1.7 million donated by the Peccole family, Rainbow Park was going to be constructed by a private contractor rather than the city. The money was to be used to build five Little League ballfields.

The first scheduled date of completion was Dec. 31, 1995. But the day came and went, with little on the plot finished.

In 1996, City Councilman Michael McDonald took over the ward through rezoning.

"The first thing everyone wanted to know was when the park was going to be finished," he said.

At that time, only one of the ballfields was completed and only one scoreboard was erected. And the work that was completed didn't pass the city's building codes.

Problems with the independent developer, Pasttime Parks Inc., forced the city to finish the job. Crews have been working on the park daily for months.

Completion would mean more than kudos for the city's parks department and McDonald. It would be the Peccole Little League's first chance to have their own fields.

Also plagued with a history of problems, the former Peccole Little League's officers are being investigated by Metro Police for a series of checks that bounced in 1996.

To show its appreciation, the league's new board of directors treated city work crews to a buffet lunch last week. The league will be part of the park's opening festivities and has purchased the flagpole to be erected in the park.

Even a four-year wait doesn't taint the taste of victory for Parks Director Dave Kuiper, who said he didn't know of many other parks projects that had suffered so much turmoil.

"But I'm looking forward, not backward," he said.