Around the Arch Blog

Reno’s Urban Forestry Commission wants volunteers to help promote a safe, healthy and attractive urban forest.  The Urban Forestry Commission advises the Reno City Council of the City’s Urban Forestry program and provides information to the public regarding Urban Forestry programs and practices.

In an effort to assist residents with household clean-ups and curb illegal dumping, Waste Management will be offering reduced residential rates for municipal solid waste at both Transfer Stations in Reno on Saturday, January 2 and Sunday, January 3. In addition, identified items associated with illegal dumping will be accepted at no charge.  For complete details and to eliminate any confusion, please read information from Waste Management.

Today City of Reno crews have started plowing in some residential areas and are continuing to go back to arterial and collector streets to re-sand and try to get those streets down to pavement. While having the sun out today does help with melting the snow, it will also pose a danger to drivers tonight since the melted snow will turn to ice. Tonight with the ice and anticipated freezing tempatures, crews will remain focused on sanding.

Tomorrow’s operations will be much the same as today with plowing continuing in more residential areas.

It’s important to remember the clearing of residential neighborhoods is based on areas surrounding schools, high traffic volume, and areas with larger snow accumulations.

City crews are maintaining 24 hour operations by working 12 hour shifts and will continue to do so (these same crews are also responsible for clearing up the roadways with street sweepers after the storm). Crews have been on this shift since Sunday afternoon when the storm arrived.

Remember more information can be found at www.cityofreno.com under “Quick Links” then “Snow and Ice Plan.” The information related to the 2009-2010 snow season includes route maps, environmental mandates, available resources, and equipment.

Join Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful and the City of Reno at 10 a.m. on Friday, October 23^rd as we kick off Nevada Shade Tree Week with the dedication and planting of trees donated to the City by AT&T Real Yellow Pages. The event will be held at Idlewild Park near the Rose Garden.

Reno City Councilman Dan Gustin will join KTMB and AT&T executives in celebrating the City’s success in the annual Phone Books for Trees phone book recycling campaign.  AT&T Real Yellow Pages with the assistance of the National Arbor Day Foundation has generously donated over 200 trees to Reno, Sparks and Washoe County that will be planted on Saturday, October 24th in five parks as part of Make-a-Difference Day.

Volunteers are still being recruited for the Make-a-Difference Day tree planting projects on Saturday.  Trees will be planted at Dick Taylor Park, Melody Lane Park, Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, Hidden Valley Regional Park, and along Sparks Boulevard. To volunteer visit the Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful website www.ktmb.org or call (775) 851-5185.

For more information call Steve Churchillo, Urban Forester at (775) 334-2270.

The City of Reno is combining two celebrations into one next Tuesday at Pat Baker Park.  First, The new playground and improvements at Pat Baker Park will be highlighted by City officials on Tuesday, October 27 at the park shelter starting at 4 p.m.  Following opening remarks from Councilwoman Sferrazza, the annual Trunk or Treat event begins for neighborhood children.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Reno Parks, Recreation & Community Services Department has added children’s stories to the pathways at Canyon Creek and Manzanita parks for walkers to enjoy. Known as StoryWalks, they are growing in popularity across the U.S.

StoryWalk™ is an exciting initiative that combines a children’s story with a popular walking route. Children’s books are selected, the pages separated, laminated, and placed along a walking path at regular intervals so readers can follow the story as they walk the route.

StoryWalk™ is a way to inspire parents, teachers, and caregivers to take young children on a short stroll that will be fun for all. StoryWalk™ helps build children’s interest in reading while encouraging healthy outdoor activity for both adults and children.

At Canyon Creek Park in Northwest Reno, Halloween Rescue (Go, Diego, Go!) was installed, and at Manzanita Park in Southwest Reno, the book is What’s Hatching? (Jakers). The books will change every six to eight weeks.

The StoryWalk Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier,Vermont and developed in collaboration with the Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition and the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.

For additional information, please call Peggy Nelson-Aguilar, Recreation Supervisor at (775) 657-4634.

For years the City of Reno has been blessed to have generous community residents donate a tree from their property for its holiday celebrations. The city is now looking for a tree for this year’s festivities. The tree must be an evergreen (preferably a Giant Sequoia) at least 40 feet tall and symmetrical in appearance.

Only one tree is selected each year. The tree selected will be professionally removed by the city’s Urban Forestry Division from the donor’s property, saving the donor hundreds of dollars in tree removal costs. The tree must be easily accessible, such as a located in the front yard. The City would like to remove the tree on November 16th, weather permitting. The tree will be placed at City Plaza, 10 North Virginia Street, located near City Hall in Downtown Reno. The donor will be publicly recognized and thanked by city officials at the Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony.

If you have a tree on your property you wish to have removed and donate, or for additional information, please call Steve Churchillo, Urban Forester at 334-2270.

The annual Reno Balloon Races are back for the 28th time. There are about 90 balloonists from all over participating in the event at Rancho San Rafael Park.

At today’s meeting, the Reno City Council directed staff to work with homeowners and Washoe County staff to study opportunities that are available to assist Washoe County with the former Northgate Golf Course property and improvements. The property could potentially be designated for open space or other park uses.

Staff are to return to Council with a full evaluation of the 228 acre property and future options for its use. Washoe County has negotiated an option to purchase the property from the Robert J. Beaumont Testamentary Trust for the appraised value of $2,850,000 by December 31, 2009.

Three potential sources of funding have been identified by County staff, which are State Question 1 (SQ-1) funding, Washoe County Parks, Trails and Open Space Bonds (WC-1), and a potential Special Assessment District (SAD). A determination of the use of the facilities may be dependent on the source of acquisition funds.

For additional information contact Julee Conway, Director of Parks, Recreation & Community Services at (775) 334-2260.

Since announcing in May that the City of Reno was looking for sponsors to help fill Mutt Mitt dispensers in the parks and along the trails, residents have stepped up and sponsored 48 of the 80 dispenser units have been sponsored to keep them stocked for the year.

Mutt Mitt dispensers are those little stations where park users can get a bag to pick up after their dog to help keep the parks clean.

Some parks are still without sponsorship. The Parks Division continues to seek sponsors for these units for $100 per year.

To sponsor a Mutt Mitt station or for more information please contact Jeff Mann, Parks Division Manager at (775) 334-2270.