Friday, June 18, 2021 | 7 p.m.
Jeremy Copley remembers when the Huntridge Circle Park was a safe, family-friendly outdoor space.
Residents had picnics, walked their dogs and played frisbee with their kids, said Copley, who has lived near the downtown park for decades.
“That park was always clean. We want to see it open and want to see it nice like the rest of the parks in the city,” he said.
The park, located on Maryland Parkway near Charleston Boulevard, has deteriorated over the years with trash and drug use, and has been shuttered on multiple occasions because of crime.
A group of residents gathered this week to discuss the future of the park, which has been closed since 2018 but could be reopened in two years.
“We wouldn’t be having this community meeting if I didn’t care about all of us coming together and throwing ideas around and sharing what that vision is,” said Ward 3 councilwoman Olivia Diaz, who organized the community meeting with the city’s parks and recreation department.
That message is also shared by the city, who a few years ago replaced grass with decorative rocks and added fence to surround the playground. They also put in new plants, signage and concrete work.
Officials in 2019 said the renovations were intended to deter those who may create an unsafe environment for residents or families. They continue to keep up with maintenance at the park, which costs about $50,000 monthly, said Greg Weitzel, the director of the city’s parks and recreation department.
“We have to continue to keep it clean and we keep it mowed and we’re maintaining it to the standard that you see now,” Weitzel said.
Most of the attendees of the meeting say they support reopening the park — just not in its current state. They envision a place to bring children, dogs or go for a walk.
First officials have to address safety, which starts with installing more surveillance cameras at all 85 parks across the city, Weitzel said.
“That way, our marshals in real time can see patterns of who’s at our parks, at what time what they are doing, and then we can share what we’re seeing with Metro,” Diaz said.
The park closed after a stabbing in 2006. Shortly after it reopened in 2013, it became a popular spot for the homeless, drug users and petty thieves, residents say.
Lois Molina, chief of the city’s Department of Public Safety, said the department is increasing patrols by city marshals in parks across Las Vegas.
Managing the homeless population could be considered the biggest challenge. Diaz said she’s been in conversations with Clark County officials about a plan for increasing affordable housing.
“I’m trying to make sure that our park is an amenity that our neighbors and our residents can enjoy and that we have services for the homeless,” Diaz said.
