LV to rebuild park lost to 95 widening

Monday, Aug. 25, 2003 | 11:18 a.m.

Fulfilling a promise made four years ago to residents of Charleston Heights, the city of Las Vegas is rebuilding a neighborhood park that was taken away to widen U.S. 95 and rebuild an elementary school.

City officials say that while the new Charleston Heights Neighborhood Preservation Park will be one-fifth the size of the old facility, it will be packed with family amenities.

In November 1999 the Las Vegas City Council, amid protests from area residents, authorized negotiations for the sale of 7.34 acres of the park at Torrey Pines Drive and Hyde Avenue to accommodate the highway widening.

U.S. 95's new lanes did not require that much property, but the project called for eliminating the existing Adcock school. As a result Clark County School District officials met with the Nevada Department of Transportation, which then made an offer to the city for the park as a site to relocate the school closer to Torrey Pines.

NDOT purchased the parcel for $3.67 million. In an attempt to appease residents, the city agreed to repurchase at the same price per square foot what was left of the land -- 2.13 acres -- to replace the old park.

Last Wednesday the City Council approved the repurchase of the land that abuts the homes on Deerbrook Lane for $505,512.

"This park along with the (rebuilt) Mirabelli Community Center (near Jones Boulevard and U.S. 95) is part of our commitment to the older neighborhoods that we are offering the residents the same type of amenities that are being offered in our newer neighborhoods," Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald said.

Boggs McDonald's Ward 2 and Councilwoman Janet Moncrief's Ward 1 share Charleston Heights, which once was the city's western boundary.

The reconstruction of the Mirabelli center and the construction of the Charleston Heights park were among the city's $35 million to $55 million in capital improvement projects that earlier this year were given high priority for funding.

At the time of the NDOT proposal, a 17-page petition from residents opposing the sale of the park was presented to the council.

One area resident says he is happy the city is keeping its word and can't wait for something to be done to the parcel that currently is marred with dead grass and about 15 trees in sore need of water. The water was shut off during the NDOT project.

"A little park is better than no park at all," said Larry Ruud, a resident of Deerbrook since 1977, who looks out his back window every day at the empty land and access road to the school.

"A number of us would like to see an exercise path, shade areas and some things for the kids because there are a lot of kids around here."

John McNellis, deputy public works director, said the city has set aside $600,000 to make the park a showcase for the community.

"That amount probably is in excess of what we need," McNellis said, noting that unspent dollars will go back into the capital project fund for the council to consider for redistribution.

"We plan a walking path and playground equipment, and we hope to keep all of the trees but we don't know if they all will live."

Picnic tables and barbecues also are planned, Boggs-McDonald said, noting that this "passive park" will be designed to encourage family use and "bring the community closer together."