LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Construction began on the $3.2 million Legacy Park project in the Historic Westside with a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday.
The park, which is located on Mount Mariah Drive near Martin L King Boulevard, will feature exhibits and sculptures to highlight the area’s history.
“I am so excited to see construction begin on this park that will become a keystone in Ward 5 and the Las Vegas community,” Las Vegas Councilman Crear said. “A beautiful park to celebrate the history of the Historic Westside is going to be truly special.”
“I grew up in the Westside — in Ward 5 — and I have been ingrained with the stories of our community,” Crear said. “We share a history on the Westside that Legacy Park will help preserve, ensuring that future generations know the leaders that came before us all. It will be a place of reverence that brings forth emotion and chronicles the struggles and triumphs of our community.”
Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly joined Crear at the ceremony, along with Chase R. McCurdy, a third-generation resident of the area who is responsible for art installations at the park.
The park is a partnership between the city of Las Vegas and Clark County and is expected to be completed winter 2021.
“Las Vegas is known for imploding a whole lot of things and not preserving a lot of our history,” Weekly said. “Well, that’s one of the things that the councilman and I decided to do. We wanted to preserve some of the history and remember many of the trailblazers who came this way. When they didn’t have many places to go, this was all they had.”
The park will incorporate unique elements, such as a timeline of the Historic Westside and an interpretive walking trail.
McCurdy is overseeing many of the park’s features.
“As the artist and consultant on this project, I hope to honor the legacy of those who came before us with a monumental sculpture called the Living Black Pillars, with the desire to make a monument of sorts — a new monument for this part of our city, the Historic Westside of Las Vegas, which is extremely important not only to myself, but those who came before, those who are still here, and those who are going to come after.”
In addition, the park will feature trees, landscaping and a playground and will be located in the heart of the Enterprise Park development.
CORE Construction is the contractor and LGA Architecture has designed the park.
