The South Valleys Regional Park will finally start seeing some work for its expansion plan.
The Washoe County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved an approximate $2.5 million contract to Sierra Nevada Construction Inc. to start phase one of the plan Tuesday.
The first portions of the project will include paving, drainage and sewer work, to lay the foundation for further projects.
In the contract, phase one must be completed by the middle of next year.
"This is really the culmination of seeing the vision of the community back in 2016," said Eric Crump, Director of Community Services for Washoe County.
The Pennington Foundation granted about $3.5 million to be used for the second phase of the project, which includes new softball fields that the Washoe Little League will use.
That project also needs to be completed by the end of next year, to maintain the grant money.
The county is currently trying to find a construction company to help build them.
Washoe Little League has used these fields for more than 30 years.
"On opening day I would meet grandparents, grand-dads would come up to me—more than one—and say I played at Washoe and I'm here to watch my adult son coach my grandson's team," said Dan Gallagher, Washoe Little League Board Member.
While primarily a baseball league for many years, their new softball league is growing more and more.
"Over the past years we were able to grow the league from 80 girls to 250 girls last spring and we're expecting to push 300 girls this spring coming up," Gallagher said.
The league was stoked with the decision today, but there is some work they will have to do to make sure the fields will be ready to go.
"Lights are huge, scoreboards, bleachers; so Washoe Little League will be responsible to fund all of that," Gallagher said.
With the first phases underway, the entire master plan is a big one.
The whole plan is estimated to cost about $18 million, with there being many more amenities to add to and enhance the park.
"It's got flat fields, it's got baseball fields, playgrounds, a dog park, concession stands, restrooms, parking and you know - all the infrastructure associated with supporting those types of uses and connectivity to other parts of the park as well," Crump said.
The rest of the plan doesn't have funding at the moment, which is why they are working in phases.
There were several people during public comment that expressed concerns with this plan being related to the proposed soccer stadium in the same area.
Washoe County says this plan has nothing to do with the stadium whatsoever.
