Things have really turned around for one of the most crime-ridden parks in the city. Call it a renaissance at the corner of Fife Drive and Montello Street, deep in Reno’s Ward 3. Pat Baker Park came out of a well-needed rehab a few months ago. Before that, it was in dire shape. Mike Booher, who is building a new home nearby told us, “It was bad...a lot of drug deals went there. A lot of arrests, police were over here all the time."
Reno Councilman Oscar Delgado learned its reputation early too: "When I was a kid growing up not too far from here...you had to know somebody in order to come over to Pat Baker Park."
Most everyone knows about the park's long and troubled history, even though it opened with the highest of hopes in 1968. Fast forward a few decades, and it was a magnet for crime…some of it tragic. A year and a half ago, a 16-year-old was robbed and shot in the head here, and later died. Police went to work making arrests. Code enforcement had cars towed and yards cleaned up. Signs announcing a ban on drugs and alcohol in the area were put up. A camera watched for crimes, and patrols increased. Mike told us, "There was a big police presence all through here. But you wouldn't see me here at night."          Â
The park was closed last August. The city sent in crews to bring it back. A big new picnic shelter is now the centerpiece. Where there was bare dirt ground is now landscaped and irrigated. A new multi-use fitness station and a colorful sports court are surrounded by new playground equipment for kids, like four sprinkler stations. Kyle Chandler-Isacksen, who lives two blocks away, told us, "There's a lot more families here I'd say. With the water feature that was just put in, there's kids during the summer just 24/7."
The renovation's cost? $750,000. And looking around, it looks like they got their money's worth. The once-troubled park that people used to be afraid to go to at night just won a prestigious statewide excellence award: the Nevada Recreation and Park Society’s Elmer H. Anderson Park Excellence Award. Delgado says, "One of the beautiful things about the Anderson Park Award is, the community brought that."
Granted, this is his old neighborhood so he's partial…but he says Pat Baker today, is the best park in the city: "It's a huge difference. I mean, what isn't new? It's basically a brand new park."
Kyle chose Pat Baker Park to host its first special event: the Reno Garlic and Music Fest next weekend. His reason for choosing it? "It's just a well-used park, really well-loved by the people in this community."
And Mike believes in the park so much, he built a new home on what used to be a vacant lot, right across the street from Pat Baker Park: "My wife, when she comes to bring me lunch, we go over to the park with our dog, and it’s just very nice."
That Reno Garlic and Music Fest is next Saturday the 29th at Pat Baker Park, and it’s open to the public. For more on this first-time event, click the link below:
