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County temporarily closes Petrack Park overnight after commissioners cite safety concerns
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners voted to close Petrack Park nightly from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. for three months, exempting organized events with permission, after testimony about stabbings, drug activity and unsanitary conditions.
The Nye County Board of Commissioners voted Aug. 26 to close Petrack Park nightly between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. for a three-month trial period, citing repeated safety and sanitation problems. The closure exempts groups or individuals who have written or oral permission to use the park. Commissioner Don Bain, who represents the district containing the park, made the motion after citing multiple stabbings and persistent gatherings that left needles and other refuse on playing fields. "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 to protect," Bain said.Public speakers representing sports leagues and residents said they supported efforts to restore the park for lawful use, but several asked for clear enforcement plans and noted evening sports practices sometimes run past 10 p.m. Sherry Stringer, president of a local adult softball league, said league members often had to pick up needles, trash and human waste before games. "We pay for these parks to be able to have our leagues there," Stringer said.The sheriff's office cautioned that enforcement could be difficult because parts of the park lack fencing and there is not currently an ordinance explicitly prohibiting presence after hours. Sheriff Joe McGill said he would check existing town ordinances but noted that deputies had been instructed in previous years not to leave event assignments to respond elsewhere and that enforcement mechanisms needed clarification. Commissioners added that any written rental or permission would not be affected by the closure.Vote and next steps: The board approved the temporary closure by a 4-0 vote with one commissioner absent and asked staff to draft an ordinance or other permanent remedy during the three-month trial. Commissioners also asked the county's finance and facilities staff to review the cost and feasibility of fencing and gated access to make enforcement more practical. The board agreed to revisit the measure at the end of the trial period.
