Beatty plans recreational facilities on 76 acres

BEATTY — The Beatty General Improvement District has big plans for 76 acres of land south of the high school and east of the town cemetery.

The property, previously acquired from the BLM for recreational use, includes a currently unused BMX track and an also no-longer-in-use driving range for golfers.

BGID board members Autumn Arroyo Byington, Ernie Childress, and Stephanie Beecham presented their tentative plan for the land to the Beatty Town Advisory Board at its April 22 meeting.

The land-use plan, which will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners for approval, received support from the BTAB.

The plan included the BMX track, an Off-Highway Vehicle staging area for off-road events, possible driving range or a botanical garden with a trail and pergola, a parking area for events, horse corrals, multi-use grounds for events like Beatty Days, fairs, and circuses, an off-highway training area, a multi-use event building, a recreation center, a community garden and greenhouse, and a place for the historical Mayflower Mine Mill.

They said that specific plans could change, but the idea was to preserve the land for recreational use.

BTAB member Randy Reed called it, “A great use for the land and a great benefit for Beatty.”

BTAB Chair Erika Gerling had planned a recognition event to be held during the meeting, but, in the end, it consisted of reading the names of people who volunteer in the community in a wide variety of capacities, and fervent expressions of thanks.

The board approved $17,000 for fireworks for this year’s Fourth of July celebration.

They also approved sending a comment letter to the BLM regarding the North Bullfrog mine project.

They waived rental and deposit fees for B8Y Sports and More to use an available room Mondays and Wednesdays from 5 to 6 p.m., June 3 through July 26 for summer dance classes.

Richard Stephens is a freelance reporter living in Beatty.