Urban Planning
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12 D e s e r t C o m p a n i o n
91951 DesertCompanion Size: 1/3-page Vertical 2.875" x 10" Insertion Date: Nov.’09
One of The Great Circle’s connections: Red Rock Canyon.
and corridor development. The new opportunities for Mojave Desert research alone should be enough incentive to push the project forward as quickly as possible. Considering Nevada’s livability and unemployment issues, lawmakers should be motivated to tap into The Great Circle’s recreational potential in an effort to provide fresh social and economic opportunities. Ecotourism would not only help lure more educated workers to Las Vegas, it would also help fill rooms along the Strip. Because of Las Vegas’ proximity to more national parks, monuments and public lands than any other place in America, two years ago National Geographic Adventure named our city the “best place to live and play.” The Great Circle would make our great outdoors even better by creating more recreation and nature-appreciation opportunities closer to home. At this point it could take five years to complete one-third of the Circle (and perhaps 15 years to see the whole plan fully implemented), but now is the time to throw our support behind it. Just think: This project could give Las Vegas the chance to proudly exhibit and promote something no other urban place in the world possesses: the unique flora, fauna and ecosystems of the Mojave Desert; the magnificent, pristine landscapes of our surrounding mountains and valleys; and archaeological treasures dating back to the Anasazi, the “ancient ones” who lived here for almost a thousand years.
The Great Circle will consist of more than 130,000 acres, making it the largest infrastructure project in Southern Nevada. From a global environmental perspective, The Great Circle is proof that humankind and nature can coexist and thrive in partnerships that allow us to help our planet heal from past abuses. This plan will certainly be one of America’s first contributions to the new global sustainability movement, as well as a model for other communities to follow. So now you know why I’m so smitten by SNRPC. It may be a jumble of letters, but it adds up to a vision that looks well beyond our current horizons, giving us a chance to make our children’s and grandchildren’s futures better, while helping the Earth to survive. DC Robert Fielden, FAIA, a longtime, award-winning Las Vegas architect and urban planner, is a regular commentator on News 88.9 KNPR.