Fernley youth and sports groups press council for urgent field repairs, propose multi-sport complex

Dozens of young athletes and volunteer leaders told the Fernley City Council on Jan. 21 that several neighborhood parks and sports fields are in poor condition and pose safety risks, and they asked the city to fund immediate repairs while studying a long-term regional sports complex.

"We are asking that you please consider our ideas and make them happen," said Zachary Bruno, one of several student presenters calling for repairs at Out of Town Park, listing broken plastic that can catch small fingers and a zip line that slows in mid-ride. Gabe Leija, speaking for the Fernley Youth Sports committee, told the council that the city’s fields are chronically overused and need both short-term fixes and a long-term plan: "We're at capacity in every aspect of our fields... we have to figure out a short-term goal and maybe a long-term goal for our community."

Why it matters: League leaders said the repairs affect safety and participation for hundreds of children and can influence whether families choose to move to or remain in Fernley. Emily Nori, a volunteer with AYSO, said volunteers log hours filling holes and removing debris but cannot keep up: "We just can't keep up," she said, noting increased incident reports and hazards such as goat-head stickers and ground-squirrel holes.

What was requested: Presenters provided cost estimates and fundraising plans. They asked the city to approve roughly $611,000–$620,000 in additional, unbudgeted funds for the coming year to address immediate shortfalls. Specific short-term requests included lighting for Field 3 (estimated installation/labor $81,000 after negotiated discounts) and repairs or sod for multiple fields; presenters said resodding a full field can cost on the order of $92,000, and replacing field material or bringing in dirt can range from about $12,000–$15,000 per field. League leaders described volunteer and contractor commitments and proposed a funding mix of municipal investment, state recreation grants, corporate sponsorships and naming-rights revenue.

Long-term vision: Roman Cisneros, president of Fernley Youth Football, outlined a multi-sport complex concept that could host regional tournaments, reduce travel for families and generate local spending. "We could host regional games... we can pull championships here for the East if we had this kind of facility," Cisneros said, noting examples in other regions and estimating strong local spending if built out.

Council response: Council members responded with a mix of urgency and process questions. Mayor McIntyre told speakers, "We hear you loud and clear," and said parks are a top public-works priority this year. Councilman Mendoza asked staff to identify whether available closeout funds from a prior capital project could be redirected for immediate repairs and offered to place a budget item on a future agenda for consideration. Several council members urged creating stronger rental policies (deposits, enforcement) and additional parks staffing or a dedicated parks-and-recreation department to manage recurring maintenance.

Next steps: Council directed staff to explore site studies, budget options and funding mechanisms, including whether some closeout funds could be repurposed for urgent field repairs, and to include parks priorities in the upcoming budget cycle. League representatives said they would continue fundraising and partner with the city on grant applications.

Ending: The presentation concluded with council unanimity on prioritizing parks fixes and a commitment to bring concrete budget options back to council.