September 6, 2007
Pioche Receives Large Amount for Park Improvements

By Dave Maxwell

$896,000 has been awarded to the town of Pioche in a SNPLMA (Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act) grant, reported County Grant Administrator Phyllis Robistow.

The grant money is to repair that portion of the city park in Pioche that is south of the swimming pool: Softball/Little League field, dugouts, retaining walls, playground equipment, picnic area, etc. The swimming pool is not included.

Ms. Robistow said that the Town Board will hire an engineer to help determine what work needs to be done at the park and what playground equipment needs to be replaced.

Even though the town has been given the go-ahead for the grant money, things will be slow in happening. Ms. Robistow said she probably “won’t see the paperwork for it all for at least 8 to 10 months.”

“It takes a lot of time for all these things,” she said. Just the grant application for the Pioche parks project alone has taken almost two years. Phyllis said she filed the application with the Bureau of Land Management, who oversees SNPLMA, in October, 2005.

“The whole county has been able to take advantage of grant money for these projects,” she said. Another round of money was received earlier this year for five Caliente parks projects to be completed hopefully next spring, and the Children’s park in Alamo plus the new softball field and rodeo grounds, which need to be ready by early June for the State Jr. High Rodeo Finals.

Ms. Robistow also said she has been given $35,000 to have an engineer look at the fair and rodeo grounds in Panaca, but has not yet completed the paper work for that project.