Equestrian trails help define and preserve the rural beauty of our area. Other parts of the state have trails planned and funded, southwest Clark County has been ignored.
After five years of unrelenting pressure by SWAN, trail planning in the RNPs took a major step forward in late 2006. The County launched a formal equestrian trails study. UNLV surveyed area residents while Alta Planning gathered field data and evaluated two southwest RNPs for trail alignments. In March, Alta held its first public meeting to explain results of the surveys and show maps that outlined equestrian trail routes. Since funding for the actual trails may take some time, we must get these trail alignments officially placed on county planning maps NOW to ensure the land is reserved.
Although parks and trails would seem to be connected they are not. Two separate government agencies are responsible and they do not communicate. However, Erin (SWAN's Trail person) has pushed for five years and her plan is currently awaiting the signature of the Secretary of Interior. This is a phenomenal achievement. Erin was invited to attend a special meeting regarding trails and parks in the Las Vegas Valley. Her trail plan was used as an example. BLM representatives at this meeting indicated that Clark County has not effectively used funding to date and needs to become more efficient before additional park money is granted.
Wondering why the southwest lags behind the rest of the Valley in park development? So does SWAN. After examining the latest go-round of BLM’s Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act (SNPLMA) nominees, SWAN noticed that once again the Southwest Regional Park (Mt. Edge) was turned down. Compare that to Summerlin, where the desert trails extension was funded ($5.4 million), and Pioche got thumbs up for $896,000. No parks in Enterprise were funded in spite of rapid growth.
Everyone living in the Southwest needs to speak up. SWAN is organizing this effort now. If you want to help SWAN gain funding please contact us.
SWAN is a non-profit citizens organization [(501(C)(3)] incorporated in 1999. We are dedicated to improving the quality of life in southern Nevada by ensuring that land use conforms to Clark County Ordinances as well as actual growth/land use in a given area. One of our primary goals is to ensure that there will be sufficient opportunities for healthy public recreation throughout the region, not just in a few master planned communities. Toward this end SWAN worked with Clark County Staff and their designated contractor to design a public trail system in the Enterprise Township that will link to regional trails on surrounding public land (such as Red Rock Conservation Area) as well as local/regional parks. This will allow residents of all ages to safely walk, jog, ride horses/bicycles and participate in other outdoor activities away from heavily used public roads which create both safety and health problems.
During this long and arduous process the following facts became extremely apparent:
The proposed trail system in Spring Valley will accomplish the following beneficial results:
SWAN strongly supports the proposed plan, and is willing to dedicate time and energy to put it into place. We hope that the NPS sees the regional benefits that will result from this proposal, and supports it as well.
The Department of Parks and Community Services has adopted a planning process involving the "Design Team" concept for department facility project planning, design and development. The following process has been developed to guide and define the Design Team Process.