Pahrump has been awarded a technical assistance grant from the National Park Service's Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) Program to prepare a conceptual design for Last Chance Park, a rugged landscape that provides open space, habitat for wildlife, and areas for recreational use.

The conceptual design is envisioned to identify a trails network, areas for resource protection, recreational opportunities, interpretive signage and community connections.

The results of this workshop will be used by the Town of Pahrump in collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management to facilitate implementation through a Recreational and Public Purpose (R&PP) lease or other tools.

The RTCA Program provides the expertise and time of National Park Service outdoor recreation planners who are working with community members and other stakeholders, to facilitate a design workshop and create a conceptual design for Last Chance Park representative of the community's vision.

While no funding is provided, RTCA often leverages community resources to assist with project planning, marketing, design and implementation.

The town's Public Lands Advisory Board made the application with help from the U.S. Forest Service, the Boys and Girls club of Pahrump, Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services and II Me's Endurance Arabians.

Noel Smithers, visionary neighbor of Last Chance Park, conceived the idea of protecting these lands for conservation and recreation, said, "Six years ago, while looking at Last Chance area, I saw wildlife -- everything from big cats to quail. They had made that beautiful valley and mountain their home. I thought what a good thing it would be to preserve what I was seeing, for them, and for the people who understand that someday there would be nothing like this left."

Through a partnership between RTCA and the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the Nevada ASLA Chapter plans to provide pro-bono design services for the workshop. In celebration of Landscape Architecture Month in April, the Nevada ASLA Chapter is also planning a youth workshop at the Pahrump Boys and Girls Club, engaging kids in planning for Last Chance Park.

A public open house is also planned for April 29, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Bob Ruud Community Center, 150 North Highway 160 in Pahrump.

For more information regarding the Last Chance Park project, contact Marvin Minnick, Town of Pahrump Public Lands Advisory Board at 702-301-2848 or Julia Lawrence, Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce at 775-727-5800. You can also e-mail LastChancePark@hotmail.com.

For further information about NPS and its RTCA community assistance program, contact NPS RTCA staff Deb Reardon at 702-839-5579 or Sally Sheridan at 805-687-6090.