Why is Petrack Park now closed over night?

While there are homeless persons all over the valley, Petrack Park has become known as something of a homeless hot spot and the resulting problems created by some of these people – from littering to intimidating park-goers to violent incidents – has the county striving to find solutions.

Adding to various other actions taken in the last year, this week the Nye County Commission approved new hours of operation for Petrack Park. As of the board’s Tuesday, August 26 meeting, the park will be closed to the public between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless users are specifically authorized by the town or county. The nighttime closure will continue for the next three months.

“Three stabbings have occurred there… and until we are able to properly patrol that park, until this board is able to properly fund our sheriff to keep the park safe, we are doing a disservice to those who we are tasked, in my opinion, by God to protect,” commissioner Ian Bayne asserted as he introduced the item on Tuesday.

He explained that he was aware there was a formal town ordinance being drafted that was in the same vein but he simply did not feel it could wait. “Something has to be done now,” Bayne stressed.

He also noted that the closure would only be for 90 days, to gauge its effect, and emphasized that groups such as sports leagues or festival organizers would not be impacted.

“Of course, anyone who has express permission to use the park… events, ballgames, teams, rentals… the park will never close to anyone with permission to be there,” he stated.

Pahrump resident and adult softball player Sheree Stringer said she was relieved to hear that, as many times, the games her league plays go until 10:30 or 11 p.m. She also thanked Bayne for the item, explaining that the continued presence of homeless individuals in the park has led to some disturbing requirements on the part of her and her fellow softball players.

“We have to go out and pick up needles, we have to pick up condoms, we have to pick up other people’s dog defecation, all of that before we let anybody out there on the field,” Stringer detailed.

It was clear that Bayne had support for the nighttime closure, with commission chair Ron Boskovich calling it “a step in the right direction” and commissioner Debra Strickland remarking that she was in favor of the three-month trial period, which would give the county time to analyze not only how the change is affecting activity in the park but the Nye County Sheriff’s Office as well.

On the enforcement side of things, Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill said he was unsure about the enforceability of the item, given that it does not have a formal ordinance to lend it authority. The only ordinances addressing park activities specifically ban sleeping in the parks and homeless camps containing personal possessions, rather than hours of operation.

“However, town employees could [enforce it],” McGill added.

Nye County Manager Brett Waggoner said that he would look into the enforcement end of the situation and in the meantime, “I think this could be done as an emergency measure.” However, he said the permanent solution would have to be adoption of a town or county ordinance laying out official park hours.

Bayne then made the motion to adopt the new closure hours with the following language:

“Petrack Park will be closed to the public, except anyone with permission in writing or orally from an agent of town or county government, between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. every day. These hours of closure will expire three months from today.”

Commissioner John Koenig offered a second and the motion passed 4-0, with commissioner Bruce Jabbour absent.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com