Projects presented to parks commission

Plans for both a Multipurpose Athletic Complex and the Lakeview Park Trailhead will be presented Wednesday to the Carson City Parks & Recreation Commission.

City supervisor Molly Walt, who also sits on the Parks and Recreation Commission, explained the MAC project to the board of supervisors on Feb. 5.

The city's Question 18, or Quality of Life Initiative approved by voters in the mid-1990s, would have provided enough funding to build a new drop-in recreation center, but the center has been put on hold because there is no money for operation and maintenance in the city's strapped budget.

"It was shelved for awhile, but about a year ago, I asked to revisit it on a smaller scale, because parks and rec has enough in its budget for operation and maintenance for something smaller," Walt told supervisors. "The city just can't do bigger right now."

Plans to build a park at the trailhead leading to Hobart Reservoir have been significantly scaled back.

What had once been considered the site of a 40-acre park with increased parking and greater access, was approved last week by the Carson City Planning Commission as a turnaround area for horse

trailers.

The trail, popular among hikers, cyclists and equestrians, has been a source of contention between Lakeview residents and users.

While equestrians have complained that access is too narrow and parking too limited, residents have countered that horses don't belong in their neighborhood.

While no additional parking spaces are planned, leaving room for about four horse trailers at a time, there will be a turnaround loop added to ease entry and exit.

Also at the meeting, the Carson City School District will request the return of property near Empire Elementary School. As part of a land use agreement in the late 1980s, the school district had given a portion of the school's property to the city to be used as a park and playground.

However, over the years, the park shifted to another location and the original property now houses portable classrooms, where the school is looking to build an addition as part of the 2010 bond issue.