Two years ago, the town of Pahrump broke ground on what will become a 40-acre OHV (Off-Highway Vehicle) Park at the Pahrump Fairgrounds but before any actual construction takes place, officials want to have the site professionally designed.
Thanks to an $81,900 grant from the state of Nevada, the town will now have some assistance with funding this design process, an action intended to help ensure minimal negative impact to the surrounding community. The project was discussed during the Nye County Commission’s April 16 meeting.
Pahrump OHV Park Advisory Committee Chair Jimmy Lewis acknowledged that there were members of the community worried about the potential impact of this type of development and emphasized that the grant was to assuage such concerns.
“From the beginning, we realized there could be concerns about sound and dust from a facility like this. Everybody thought we were going just go in and start using bulldozers and pushing dirt and making a track but we said hey, we need to address these issues… The grant money that we are receiving is to make sure that we are taking care of this before it becomes a problem,” Lewis stated.
Nye County Grants Administrator Jessica McCutcheon explained for commissioners, sitting as the governing body for the town, that the grant comes from the Nevada OHV Program. “This grant is money that is collected from registering these vehicles by the state. So this will enhance the legal use of these toys, which is fantastic,” McCutcheon detailed.
She explained that the grant dollars would be used to secure a contract to pinpoint the various logistics of the OHV Park and design items such as sound barriers. Pahrump Buildings and Grounds Manager Jimmy Martinez added that the design would include, “Lighting, water, power, the full layout, track design, drainage and all of that. We’re looking for everything.”
The OHV Park is slated to consist of a Motocross track, long and short tracks, junior, peewee skills area and multiple play areas, according to information provided with the agenda item. The placement of drainage and irrigation prior to development of any other portion of the park is key, Martinez noted, as drainage will allow the park to remain open following rainstorms and remotely controlled irrigation will allow the town to easily control dust during wind storms.
In addition to several town and county departments, the grant application was supported by other entities, including the Nevada Outdoor School and the Nevada Offroad Association.
“Having a professionally designed facility will assist the greater rural Nevada OHV community by providing a long-term accessible location for organized OHV events, education and activities,” Nevada Outdoor School Executive Director Melanie Erquiaga wrote in a letter of support. “This has been a multi-year process and we are hopeful that as it continues to be improved, NOS will be able to utilize the OHV Park for our ride-safe, ride-smart OHV training.”
Nevada Offroad Association Executive Director Mathew Giltner said the project has the potential to create another “‘crown jewel in Nevada’s OHV infrastructure, adding a sense of pride for the community and visitors alike.”
Nye County Commission Chair Debra Strickland handed the gavel over to vice chair Ron Boskovich in order to make the motion to accept the grant, with a $9,000 match to be funded by the Pahrump Fairgrounds Room Tax. Commissioner Frank Carbone offered a quick second and the motion passed with all in favor.
Anyone interested in learning more about the development can attend the OHV Park Advisory Committee meetings held the first Thursday of each month at the Veterans Memorial Building, 751 East Street. Residents can also participate via teleconference by calling 1-971-224-6609 and entering access code 795606.
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com