Community Meeting Opens Many Dialogues

The Community Chest of Storey County-sponsored dinner and meeting tonight in Lockwood brought forth several interesting development ideas, and a few updates of long-standing needs. About 60 interested citizens attended.

A litney of Lockwood-centered ideas was forthcoming. These are being organized into specific projects; ranging from planting more trees, a public Victory garden, community registry (phone book), a community web site, educational opportunities, recreational opportunities (with specific focus on the 13-20 age group) and many others. Followup is to be forthcoming from the Community Chest.

Staff at Hillside School reported that plans are underway to build an exercise walkway from the Senior/Community Center east around the school, then north across Peri Ranch Road, to the open area between the school and Rainbow Bend, following the property line west to the end of the property, and then south up the incline back to the Center. Enclosement of the area north of Peri Ranch Road is to include a fenced-in dog park. Specifics of the project are still in the design process but survey of the land was said to have already been done.

It was announced that one million dollars has been raised to build a multi-purpose center in Virginia City. This includes $200,000 appropriated as part of the Transportation and HUD Appropriations bill recently passed with the support of Senator Harry Reid. Groundbreaking is being scheduled. The meeting attendants were urged to take this success as model to improving the Lockwood community.

Some vocal attention was given geothermal and wind energy potentials but met with specific and non-specific skepticism. Further investigation into the potential lowering of community, and individual living, costs is being done by interested persons and companies. This is being spurred in light of recent geothermal funds allocated in the recent stimulis legislation going largely begging. Conversation has been opened with the Canyon General Improvement District toward that organization co-sponsoring such a project after the sewer plant effluent disposal pipeline is complete.

No mention was given to fast-tracking the opening of a restaurant-bar for the area now that none is open between Sparks and Patrick.