State, local officials break ground on 36-acre Frias Park

By Paul Takahashi

Friday, Oct. 8, 2010 | 5 p.m.

Nevada Sens. Harry Reid (D) and John Ensign (R) were on-hand Friday for the groundbreaking ceremony for the much-anticipated Charlie Frias Park and Lower Flamingo Wash Detention Basin, near the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Decatur Boulevard.

“In 1974 when I moved here, there were only 10 parks in the entire valley,” Ensign said.

“Urban Las Vegas needs more parks and areas of recreation like this one,” Reid said. “(This park) will be a great place for children and athletes to play, for parents to spend time with their kids and for a community to enjoy the outdoors.”

The park, named after Las Vegas businessman and philanthropist Charlie Frias, will be completed within the next 18 months. The 36-acre park will include four athletic fields, a dog park, horseshoes, picnic areas, walking paths and two playgrounds.

Charlie Frias, who died in 2006, became the owner of Union Cabs after starting out as a taxi driver. Under his leadership, Frias Transportation Management became the largest transportation company in the valley, said CEO Mark James.

“It’s a great success story for Las Vegas,” James said, adding the company employs more than 2,000 people, many of whom live near the park area. “I’m honored to be the person to carry on his dream.”

At the event, Frias’s wife, Phyllis, received a framed proclamation from city officials, who praised the family’s philanthropic efforts.

“It’s extraordinary to have someone who looks past themselves and to the community,” said Clark County Commissioner Susan Brager. In addition to the park, the Friases have both an elementary school in Southern Highlands and a college scholarship fund named after them.

The 36-acre park and detention basin will cost an estimated $23 million. The Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act provided $15 million and the Frias family donated $1 million to assist with the construction. The Regional Flood Control District will provide $7 million to build the flood detention basin, which will help alleviate flooding in the area.

“(The basin) serves an important purpose for our environment,” Reid said. “This park will be a critical floodplain that protects the development all around us.”

Construction is set to begin in November and last through July 2012.

HDR Engineering and Southwick Landscapers have been contracted to design the park and detention basin. The Clark County Commission is expected to award the final bid for construction on Oct. 19.

“A great deal of thought and public input went into this park, which has been in the planning stages for years,” Jane Pike, director of Clark County’s Parks and Recreation Department, said in a statement. “This will be a wonderful addition to our community and will enhance the quality of life for people who live in this area.”