County buys 11-acre site for recreation center

The city of North Las Vegas is teaming up with Clark County to help bring a $5 million recreation center to the city by 2002.

The county has just purchased 11 acres of land on Alexander Road and Allen Lane to house the future 22,000-square-foot rec center. It's also pitching in $1 million toward the effort, along with $1 million from the city. The additional amount will be paid for with bonds issued by the Parks and Recreation Department.

The partnership between city and county is not unique, Eric Dabney, director for parks and recreation, said. The county and Boulder City have worked together in similar ways. "It's becoming much more common now," he said.

In this case, however, it was essential in bringing about the land for the new facility, Dabney said.

The City Council approved the plan for the rec center in October, after citizens voiced concerns about the lack of parks and recreational resources throughout the city. Mayor Michael Montandon and the council then made parks and recreation a top priority, setting a target of 2002 for a new rec center.

"There has been a lot of support and focus on recreation by the council," Dabney said. "We're getting younger families in the area who are demanding recreation facilities, and the council is getting more sensitive to recreation issues."

Now that the land has been acquired, the next step is the design. Dabney will meet with architects this week to discuss concepts and construction. He said he plans to present his findings to the city by next month and sign a 100-year lease on the land by December.

North Las Vegas currently has a recreation center at 1638 N. Bruce St. offering activities such as arts and crafts and organized sports. Meeting space is also available.

But Dabney said that when the new center opens, residents can look forward to their own unique center.

"The new center will cater to the needs of the residents in that area," Dabney said.

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