Supervisors give go-ahead to proceed with park improvements

Planning for the second phase of improvements to Fuji Park and Carson Fairgrounds will begin in January.

After accepting staff's recommendation, Carson City Board of Supervisors gave its official approval to city staff Thursday in a unanimous vote.

The board acknowledged the official results of the advisory question on the November ballot about whether Carson should have allowed the fairgrounds to be developed as retail space. Voters turned down that option with 53.9 percent against the sale of the fairgrounds.

The Fuji Park Users Coalition plans to meet with city staff Jan. 6 to begin putting together priorities for improvements at the park.

"We got a lot of calls after the election," said Mike Hoffman, member of Concerned Citizens to Save Fuji Park and the Fairgrounds. "People were very happy with how the vote came out. We're ready to cooperate."

The citizens' group is separate from the Fuji Park Users Coalition, a group of representatives from various automotive, equestrian and other events held in the public space in south Carson City.

A conceptual master plan for the park and fairgrounds was developed more than a year ago, according to Steve Kastens, parks and recreation director. Carson received money from the sale of land adjacent to the park, where Costco now is.

With the funding, the users coalition and city staff have been able to implement and nearly complete the first phase of improvements, which include new paved areas, a new bathroom facility, underground irrigation and a new playground.

The second phase may include replacing an aging 20-stall horse barn with a 40-stall barn, upgrades to the arena, a paved parking lot on the west end of the property, turf and landscaped areas, a pedestrian path along Clear Creek Road, undergrounding utilities and other projects, Kastens said.

Not all improvements may be possible as funding may not cover all projects, Mayor Ray Masayko cautioned Thursday. But he wants to see the process work and hopes concerns raised during the election, including issues with Clear Creak, open space and safety, would be included in plans.