Clark County Parks and Nature on Monday presented concept designs for a public trail and a multipurpose “Harvest Pavilion” at Heritage Farm in the Hazel Dell neighborhood and invited public comment and a bilingual survey open through Jan. 8.

Lindy Wallick, parks and trails planner who is managing the project, said the goal is “to improve public access to Heritage Farm to create a welcoming space for farm users and the community at large.” The presentation described two alternative trail schemes, a two‑sided pavilion to serve both farm users and future public visitors, and a phased timeline that places pavilion design and construction before final trail design and construction.

Why it matters: Heritage Farm is part of a roughly 100‑acre historic district that includes Hazeldale/Hazel Dell Community Park; the property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and holds cultural, research and food‑security functions. County officials said the project aims to balance wider public access with ongoing agricultural uses, preservation obligations and operational limits.

What was proposed: Project staff and Walker Macy landscape architects laid out two concept approaches. One scheme brings visitors across a restored wetland to overlooks and up a steep ridge near the historic cemetery; the other emphasizes looped boardwalks and wetlands interpretation with gates that could close the center zone in the evening. Both concepts show a two‑sided Harvest Pavilion with public interpretive panels and restrooms on the public side and storage and farm‑user amenities on the farm side.

A project presenter described the pavilion’s covered area as a high‑level estimate of about “20 by 20,” and said staff are exploring options that could accommodate roughly 50–60 people; the plan would include two individual public restrooms and one restroom on the farm side. Mike Silas, a landscape architect with Walker Macy, said the pavilion is intended to be usable by farm users immediately and available to the public once trail access is developed.

Timeline and process: Wallick said the project is on the county’s 2025 capital improvement plan and is currently in concept development (phase 2). Staff plan to move forward with shelter/pavilion design, permitting and construction first, aiming for construction in 2026 if funding and tenant relocations permit. Trail final design and construction are expected later (staff noted as early as 2027) because trail construction will require additional funding, mitigation and a new parking/access intersection at 25th and 78th streets.

Community concerns and staff responses: During an extended Q&A, residents raised questions about the pavilion footprint, the relationship between public trails and current or future farm acreage, security (nightly gate locking and park‑hours enforcement), pet policies and trail maintenance. David Site, planning and development manager with Clark County Parks and Nature, said the county is trying to “find the right balance between public access and gated access” and noted that topography, wetland buffers and operational capacity will constrain alignments and the acreage available for farming.

On trail materials and accessibility, Silas and staff said surfacing is a trade‑off between upfront cost and long‑term maintenance: wetlands and wooded stretches may require boardwalks (more expensive), while high‑traffic or ADA‑critical sections could use concrete or asphalt to better meet accessibility and maintenance goals. Staff said wetland impacts would be mitigated and that restoration work could improve water quality and habitat where construction occurs.

Historic review and regulatory steps: Wallick said the shelter and any physical changes will undergo historic‑resource review at the state level with the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation because the site is on the National Register of Historic Places. Staff also said they will follow adopted county planning and sustainability guidance, including the council‑approved sustainability plan adopted in 2024 that directs improved public access consistent with preservation goals.

How to weigh in: The county has an online survey (and printed Spanish copies) and short and long videos accessible by QR code. Staff asked residents to take the survey (open through Jan. 8), use comment cards if they prefer not to speak in public, and noted the county will post preferred concepts online after compiling outreach feedback.

What happens next: Staff will finalize preferred pavilion concepts, proceed with design and permitting for the shelter, and continue outreach specific to trail design when funding and right‑of‑way/transportation approvals allow. Project personnel said they will contact people who left comment cards and share project updates by email once concepts are refined.

Sources: Presentation and Q&A with Clark County Parks and Nature project staff and Walker Macy landscape architects at the Heritage Farm public meeting; county survey materials and on‑site handouts.