Las Vegas’ latest city park takes a page from the past

Judy Odierna

Monday, Jan. 13, 2003 | 9:07 a.m.

The newest park in the city of Las Vegas is actually its oldest.

City Park, which opens today at the corner of Stewart Avenue and Fourth Street, right behind City Hall, was first built as an urban park in 1933. At the time, the park was much larger and covered much of the area between Stewart Avenue and Bonanza Road and Casino Center and Las Vegas boulevards.

The park was demolished to make way for the U.S. 95 freeway, fire department headquarters and later a parking lot.

A 2-acre portion of that park has now been restored and Mayor Oscar Goodman and the council were scheduled to officially celebrate the opening today.

Goodman said last week that the park's opening is yet another sign of success in the city's attempts to revitalize the downtown corridor.

"It's a great little park," Goodman said. "It's a wonderful facility in the heart of the city."

Work on the park started in November by the city's Field Operations Department. About 32 parking spaces were torn up and replaced with sidewalks, concrete picnic tables, a three-tiered fountain, 14,000 square feet of sod and trees.

Also added was an area to place a small stage, where the Las Vegas Department of Leisure Services plans to feature cultural performances.

"The majority of the work was done in-house except for the fountain, which was purchased and installed by a local vendor," said Larry Haugsness, director of the Field Operations Department. "We think it turned out really nice for the amount of money spent on it."

The total cost was $96,000.

Mike Sheldon, chief of the Department of Detention and Enforcement, said city marshals will regularly patrol the area to make sure the recreation area is not used for criminal purposes.

"Obviously we want our officers out there on foot interacting with the people there," he said. "Our No. 1 priority is to keep the park as safe as we can keep it. But anyone that lawfully uses the park is welcome there."

Early last year the city obtained the lease on the park property as well as the adjacent historic downtown post office, which is also on the city's refurbishment list.

The post office was built in 1932 as a federal courthouse and is included on the National Registry of Historic Places.

In November, the council accepted $170,000 in state grants to replace the air conditioning system in the post office, which is slated to become a museum.