Up, up and away: meet the park and recreation agencies that are the driving force behind Congress's lift-off.

Reno Knows Recreation

Though Nanette Smejkal just arrived in Reno as the new recreation director a few short months ago, she already knows one thing for certain: "Reno is an outdoor recreation mecca."

Coming from Flagstaff, Ariz., Smejkal knows about the endless possibilities the mountainous area holds for recreation and programming. In addition to traditional sports like baseball or soccer, Reno can offer programs like skiing and hiking. According to Smejkal, one of the most successful partnerships is with a local ski area, who helps the agency run the junior learn-to-ski program, which also provides scholarships and lessons to kids who might not otherwise ever hit the slopes.

But what's most important to the department, is offering a good balance of services. Throughout all four seasons, Reno Parks and Recreation provides quality programming and facilities that are unique to the area and community. Not only does the city offer traditional venues such as five swimming pools, multiple community playgrounds and sports fields, council members have looked at how design can impact the usage of an area.

For example, the city just completed the Terraced Sport Park, which will provide more little league baseball and soccer fields.

"The fields stair step down to work with the lay of the land and geography," says Smejkal. The park will be open for Congress attendees to view will in town.

The department also just created Canyon Creek Park, which is literally in a canyon. Patrons park in a lot on a plateau, then walk down to the park in the canyon below. Designers looked at the space Reno had to work with and, according to Smejkal, made "lemonade out of lemons."

But one of the gems of the city has to be the Truckee River Whitewater Park that is located downtown. It provides a kayaking course, as well as a downtown park where locals and tourists call sunbathe, swim or just watch the action.

"The overwhelming patronage of this area has really caught us by surprise," Smejkal says. "Not only are people enjoying the river, but the park is packed with people. It has brought them downtown, which has helped the area undergo a renaissance." (Smejkal warns that during Congress time, the Truckee River is at its lowest point, so she asks participants to use their imagination in envisioning a rapids-filled river.)

Though Reno may have a "lion's share" of facilities and outdoor play areas, the department still faces economic downturns. Smejkal says that for the city's local government, recreation is a priority, but that doesn't mean she hasn't been cleared of making difficult choices. To combat some of the department's economic problems, Reno offered early retirement, which resulted in 11 recreation employees leaving. Although the agency can't fill those positions for another year, eventually it will help save money by paying less for less-seasoned employees.

"It's tough, because Reno is growing, so we just hold the line and look carefully at our finances," Smejkal says. "We're creative and we'll do it. Our elected officials understand the economic connections that good services provide for the community."

Reno is a unique area to host Congress--although they have the facilities to put on a large conference like a larger city, the town has a population of only 200,000. Smejkal thinks this will make a huge difference on how attendees feel while visiting. She says, "People are going to connect, and they are going to feel like they are in their own hometowns. We're a great adventureland."

A Fire For Parks In Sparks

Looking at a 120-foot-deep rock quarry, most people wouldn't think "community centerpiece," but most people don't live in Sparks, Nev. As the Sparks Parks & Recreation department debated with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over whether the abandoned quarry would be able to be filled to create a lake in December 1996, a huge snowfall hit the area. The discussions soon ended, as the temperatures turned, and the floodgates literally opened--within two days, the department had its new lake (the EPA originally said it would take years to fill). After some renovation and stabilization of the area and lake banks, the new 80-acre park and lake named Sparks Marina was dedicated in 1999. It's that kind of visionary thinking that makes the town of Sparks a great place for recreation.

But the community is not willing to rest on its reputation--they push the limits of what recreation includes. At the marina, the department has partnered to help with a professional wakeboarding competition and a dog-jumping competition, just to name a few.

Department Director Stan Sherer is not surprised at the new ideas and innovations his group of 42 full-time staff introduces. "I've never seen a more active community, and we respond to that," he says. "People really care about their park system, and they are very supportive of what we do."

He says that getting people to visit a park on Thanksgiving Day isn't even a problem--recently more than 1,500 people turned up for a Turkey Trot on the holiday.

The department's inventiveness carries over into programming as well. Sparks offers Leisure Without Limits (LWL), which helps people with developmental problems or disabilities participate in recreation. LWL also features classes on gardening, tree trimming and yard maintenance taught by the department's own grounds crew.

The agency works hard to market these programs and offerings in creative ways, such as sending out brochures and guides, making a community-giving catalog, and inundating the local paper with news and information.

"I'd say about 70 percent of the section in the Reno Gazette Journal called 'Sparks Today' is geared toward park and recreation activities," Sherer says. The department works hard to get the word out on the Web as well.

But Sparks wouldn't he able to create all the special event programming throughout the year without the help of the business community. The department partners with local merchants to showcase such events as the Farmer's Market, which brings 17,000 people, the 5-day Hot August Nights that 100,000 people attend, or the 4th of July extravaganza called Star-Spangled Sparks with 22,000 community members attending every year.

It's easy to see why Sherer thinks Sparks has spirit, and he thinks attendees of Congress will see it as well. "People will be really surprised at the makeup and spirit of tire Sparks community," he says. "It's easy to feel it, and see the results of it."

Washoe County Welcomes Open Space

With more than 7,000 acres of open space, parks and trails, Washoe County Parks & Recreation (WCPR) department needs every one of its 80 permanent staff and 200 seasonal employees to keep the agency on track. Rated by Rand McNally as one of the top family outdoor recreation areas, the department does its best to use the Sierra Nevada Mountains as a playground for the community.

Offering ranger programs and trail opportunities for everyone from toddlers to seniors, the department enjoys many partnerships with the U.S. Forest Service that only enhances the community's experience outdoors.

"While Sparks and Reno are more program-focused with more urban services, our agency is responsible for open space management," says Karen Miller, director of WCPR.

The department not only looks after trails in the area, but also manages one of the largest open parks in the state, the 545-acre Rancho San Rafael. The park provides a space for dogs to play, visitors to hike around the sagebrush trails, or to stop and have a picnic in the old Ranch House. It's also a haven for birders, offering more than 150 different species including the bald eagle. The park is also home to the annual Great Reno Balloon Races, where giant hot air balloons rise from the desert into the blue sky.

Another regional park that is reminiscent of our western heritage is Bartley Ranch. WCPR provides ranger staff, which spins tales for visitors about the history of ranching and the area itself. It is also the home of the Robert Z. Hawkins Amphitheater, where public performances are held.

But open space isn't all that WCPR provides to county residents. With more than 50 facilities featuring soccer fields, baseball diamonds, sports complexes and swimming pools, there is something to do every season.

"I'm proud of our long-range planning of our facilities, as well our network of trails," Miller says. She also adds that Congress participants shouldn't miss the White's Creek Trail that starts in Galena Creek Park and heads up into the Sierras.

In addition, Miller and WCPR have unique opportunities to acquire more land through the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act, which works to safeguard lands in the state. The program allows the Bureau of Land Management to sell land around Las Vegas. The money from those sales can then be used by WCPR and other counties in the area to buy environmentally sensitive lands for preservation. Recently, WCPR purchased 2,000 acres of land around two regional parks that will safeguard the area from development.

"It's a great way to acquire open space, and it helps in planning and developing our community," says Miller.

Incline Village Makes Recreation A High Priority

Because Lake Tahoe is considered one of the best areas for outdoor recreation, you can bet that the Incline Village Parks & Recreation department will take advantage of its natural surroundings--mountains, lakes and even ... tourists!

The community, situated right on Lake Tahoe, has between 5,000-6,000 regular residents, but with the change of seasons, up to 2,500 more people visit the area. Because of this phenomenon, the department has to offer a steady stable of recreation programming, but be flexible enough to also provide spur-of-the-moment opportunities for those in town just for short periods of time.

"Most of our programs are held for those that are residents of the area," says Johnathan Skinner, recreation superintendent for Incline Village. "But we make sure everything is available for those that will be there for only a day or so."

For example, Incline Village offers a variety of day camps that residents can sign up for in advance, and visitors can take advantage of on a drop-in basis. They have also created opportunities such as offering daily passes for the tennis facility, but also giving residents the option to purchase a season pass at a discount.

The shining star of the community might be the recreation center, where visitors and residents can enjoy a wide variety of programs alike. The center features an indoor pool, sauna, gym, fitness center, trainers, aerobic classes and even childcare services. Skinner also adds that the center is unique for its location--users can walk through the facility; down a trail through open space and into Burnt Cedar Beach.

"I think this facility is world-class. It mixes a rural area with a full-functioning recreational facility," Skinner says. "I love to go to other organization's centers and see what they're like, so I think people visiting for Congress should come see our recreation center."

Recently, the department has seen a shift in population, with more children growing up or leaving the area, and an increase in middle-aged adults. Skinner and his staff of eight have responded by creating more opportunities for that population, while sticking with some mainstay youth operations like after-school camps and youth sports.

The agency has also begun working with more community groups to expand its reach. A new skatepark was just developed by Incline Village Parks & Recreation and the community skate foundation. The department is also in the planning stages of a new dogpark facility, which is in response to community wishes.

In fact, according to Skinner, his department couldn't survive without the help of the community.

"We're a team here and if someone in the department needs a hand, we pitch in," he says. "We're here for the community, we take in their input and it helps us improve."