The former Northgate golf course in Reno is in the process of being re-purposed as a 200-acre city park named Sierra Vista, so named for its views from Northwest Reno to the Carson Range and Verdi Peak in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We have been participating in the planning process for the last year and were successful in getting a trails plan with 2.5 miles of singletrack (including both a kid’s/beginner and an advanced technical trail), two pump tracks, and a cyclocross course included in the conceptual plan.
The trails and pump tracks will be built with a combination of grant funding, private fundraising, and volunteer labor. The three-mile perimeter trail (not really a trail, more like an eight-inch path) is already funded through a Rec Trails Grant so work may start on that this year. The beginner and intermediate trails would be similar to what is normally found nearby on Peavine Mountain, and those will be built using volunteers. The best option for the advanced trail and pump tracks is to have them professionally built, but there is no funding for that at this time. View the complete project plan.
It is going before Reno City Council on Wednesday, March 11, for approval of the conceptual plan. The meeting starts at 12:00 p.m. It should come up on the agenda sometime between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. and could use some support from the riding community. Would you ride there? Would you teach your kids to mountain bike there? Would you like to have a place for special events like local races?
If you can’t attend the meeting to show support, please take a second to send an email to the Reno City Council to let them know what you think.
Their addresses are (commas included so you can cut and paste):
schieveh@reno.gov,
brekhusj@reno.gov,
duerrn@reno.gov,
delgadoo@reno.gov,
mckenziep@reno.gov,
jardonn@reno.gov,
bobziend@reno.gov,
The message could be as simple as, “I can’t wait to ride my mountain bike at Sierra Vista park! Please approve the conceptual plan,” or if you’re willing to put a little more effort into it, include examples why they should support this project.
Here are a few to get you started. You can cut and paste or modify as you wish:
- Sierra Vista Park would take essentially abandoned land and turn it into a community resource where people can enjoy getting outside. This is a win-win.
- While we have many mountain bike trails around the Truckee Meadows, there is a shortage of both beginner trails, where kids or new riders can safely have fun and improve their skills, and advanced trails that will challenge the experienced rider. This plan accommodates both in a well-thought-out trail network that allows for skills progression and minimizing conflict.
- One only needs to spend a day at the Truckee Bike Park to see the diversity of users, from professional riders to a three-year-old on a strider bike, all with big smiles on their faces. That is an excellent example of a community coming together to create a recreational crown jewel at little to no cost to the taxpayers. There are many local people willing to donate their time, expertise, and money to help make this happen for Reno.
- There are many parks in Reno, but none that would have Sierra Vista’s focus on outdoor recreation. As you know, outdoor recreation is a major force in Nevada’s economy and is why many call this place home. To have a park within the city that encourages participation in outdoor activities would increase the quality of life for local residents.