Parkdale recreation center reopens with twice as much space

The Parkdale Recreation & Senior Center, 3200 Ferndale St., had its grand reopening March 31.

The 11,667-square-foot recreation center stands on the same property that has been used for community recreation for more than 60 years, predating the Clark County’s parks and recreation program.

Originally, the space featured a playground, two pools, a wading pool and an office building that served Parkdale Homes. County Parks and Recreation was established in 1963, and Parkdale and Paradise parks were the first properties it acquired a year later.

The county was already operating Camp Lee Canyon, which it acquired before the establishment of the parks and recreation department. The department’s first offices were in a building on the 3-acre plot donated by Parkdale Homes builder Heers Brothers Construction. The building was moved to Horseman’s Park, 5800 E. Flamingo Road, in 1978.

The Parkdale Recreation Center opened in 1980, the pool bath house was renovated in 1988, and a senior center was added in 2000. A water park opened there in 2002. Recently, the 1980 structure was torn down to make room for the new facility, which is more than twice the size of the one it replaced.

“We incorporated some of the old building into the new one,” said Chris Gwin, a recreation specialist II at Parkdale. “We used some of the wooden beams and decor.”

Gwin described the new building as modern, utilizing a lot of precast concrete elements and recycled and environmentally sustainable materials. The center was funded with $5.7 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funds designated for less affluent areas.

“This is a beautiful facility that really serves the residents well, with more space for activities and classes,” said County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani, who represents the area. “The old recreation center didn’t have a gymnasium or classroom space. This new facility addresses that deficiency and allows for not only more informal activities but also sports leagues and classes. Because there are more classrooms, more than one activity can be scheduled simultaneously, something we were not able to do before.”

Gwin said, “The gymnasium will allow us to have basketball, volleyball, pickleball and other indoor sports. There’s also a stage that rolls out of the wall, kind of like a Murphy bed, but much, much bigger.”

A fitness room and a traverse wall, which climbers move across primarily horizontally, were added.

“Ours has the typical workout machines, but it’s geared towards seniors or people who are new to working out,” Gwin said. “For instance, we have a stretching table so you can warm up and stretch without going all the way down to the floor.”

A game room includes a pool table, table tennis, foosball and more. The new multipurpose rooms include roll-up walls so activities can be expanded to the adjoining patio. The multipurpose rooms are available to rent for special events. The facility is already back to offering a wide range of activities, including dodgeball, piano lessons, badminton, yoga, quilting, woodcarving, a Wii bowling league and more.

“The word is getting out, and we’re already seeing great numbers coming out to enjoy the new facilities,” Gwin said. “We’re looking forward to seeing everyone.”

For more information about the center, call 702-455-7517 or visit clarkcountynv.gov/parks.

To reach East Valley View reporter F. Andrew Taylor, email ataylor@viewnews.com or call 702-380-4532.