Henderson opens 70th park in honor of late director

Henderson officials and the family of Dundee Jones gathered to cut the ceremonial ribbon for Dundee Jones Park on Wednesday, May 3, 2023. The park is named after the first director of Henderson’s Parks and Recreation, who died of COVID-19 in 2021. (Mark Credico/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

The Burkholder Park baseball fields in Henderson were officially named the Dundee Jones Baseball Complex in 2017. (The Jones family)

Parks and Recreation Director Shari Ferguson gives a speech next to Mayor Michelle Romero, Councilman Dan Stewart, Councilwoman Carrie Cox and Councilman Dan Shaw at Dundee Jones Park on Wednesday, May 3, 2023. The park is named after the first director of Henderson’s Parks and Recreation, who died of COVID-19 in 2021. (Mark Credico/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

From right to left: Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero gives a speech next to Parks and Recreation Director Shari Ferguson, Councilman Dan Stewart, Councilwoman Carrie Cox and Councilman Dan Shaw. (Mark Credico/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Dundee Jones released every fish he caught in his later years, but not before giving his catch a kiss. (The Jones family)

Henderson officially opened its 70th city park on Wednesday, which was named in honor of the city’s first parks and recreation director.

Dundee Jones Park is located next to the intersection of Jeffreys Street and Horizon Ridge Parkway, just southeast of St. Rose Dominican Hospital.

The park is named after the first director of Henderson’s Parks and Recreation, Dundee Jones, who died of COVID-19 in 2021. This isn’t the first Henderson park property to honor Jones; the Burkholder baseball fields were named the Dundee Jones Baseball Complex in 2017.

The new Dundee Jones Park features an exercise course, grass volleyball courts, walking trails, two playgrounds and a large dog park.

In honor of Jones’ favorite hobby, a large mural on the wall of the park’s bathroom features a silhouette catching a large green and red fish while fly fishing at sunset. Artwork of the fish being caught also serves as a logo in multiple other areas of the park.

Shari Ferguson, Henderson’s parks and recreation director, called Jones a “visionary” when it came to parks in the city.

When Jones started with the department in 1973, the city only had two parks, according to Ferguson. When he left the position in 1997, it had 24 parks.

After his retirement, Jones turned to advocacy, joining such organizations as the Nevada Recreation and Park Society and Henderson’s Parks and Recreation Board.

“He had such a vision for what parks should look like, providing access to parks to everybody, making them available to the community,” Ferguson said about Jones. “That’s what really started this whole movement for upper Henderson to have parks.”

Jones’ wife, Sally Jones, said that ensuring that more parks were built was “extremely important” to her husband, and that he would be proud of the city’s parks now.

“I think he is up there watching through his fishing hole,” she said. “And he’s watching all this and so proud.”

Contact Mark Credico at mcredico@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Instagram @writermark2.