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Washoe County outlines inclusive playground and flood repairs at Rancho San Rafael and Hidden Valley
Summary
Washoe County parks leaders said an inclusive playground at Rancho San Rafael is slated to replace the existing play structure and that trail and drainage repairs continue at Hidden Valley after flood damage; no construction dates or funding specifics were given.
Stephanie D'Arcy, Washoe County parks operations superintendent, said the county is "waiting for the new inclusive playground to break ground here at Rancho San Rafael" and that the new structure will replace the current playground.
The project is intended to make play areas accessible to children with differing mobility needs, D'Arcy said, adding the design will include ramps, accessible restrooms and surfacing that allows wheelchairs to roll through play equipment. "We're very excited about being able to offer a new playground that is accessible to all," she said.
County staff also described ongoing repairs at Hidden Valley after recent flood damage. Luke Sorensen, Washoe County arborist and horticulturist, said staff cleared mud and reopened park areas where possible but that work continues on drainage and trail reconstruction. "Everything is open. It may look a little different than it did beforehand," Sorensen said, adding that crews have focused on making trails safer and more resilient to future flooding.
Staff noted that certain features were particularly affected; Sorensen said tennis courts were heavily impacted during the flood. County staff described the Hidden Valley work as ongoing maintenance and improvements rather than a completed restoration, and emphasized drainage upgrades and trail realignment to reduce vulnerability to future flows.
On off‑leash dog access, D'Arcy and Sorensen said the Hidden Valley dog park is open and that Rancho San Rafael has a multiuse area commonly used off leash. D'Arcy said rangers developed a program to allow off‑season use of sports fields as additional off‑leash space when fields are not in active use.
No construction schedule, budget figures or permitting details for the inclusive playground or Hidden Valley repairs were specified during the discussion; D'Arcy described the playground as "waiting to break ground" but did not give a date.
