Straight flush

Fast-growing Henderson honored as Nevada's SI Sportstown

Given that it's located just minutes from the non-stop glitz of Las Vegas, you might think that Henderson would be awash in neon and the clicking of slot machines. But you’d be wrong.

While it has its share of casinos, the City of Henderson has focused on providing another kind of recreation for its residents. And it's the city's dedication to sports, parks and recreation –- the more traditional kind –- that has earned it the title of Sports Illustrated Sportstown for Nevada.

Henderson, with a population of just over 220,000 people, has seen supersonic growth over the last 15 years. It has been ranked in the top of five on the U.S. Census Bureau's list of America's fastest growing cities every year since 1990. The city's Parks and Recreation Department is racing to keep up with that growth –- and the ensuing demand for sports and recreation facilities and programming.

"Sports are such a big part of life here that there is always high demand," said Ted Lockamon, who oversees youth programming as the Department's Recreation Coordinator. "But with the great support of the community and the dedication and hard work of our staff, we'll continue to provide great sports experiences for residents of all ages."

Besides their fervent participation, city residents showed their support by passing two multi-million dollar bond initiatives in the 1990s that helped fund the Department's growth.

That support, and expansion, has paid off in spades for the city's sports-minded populace, as the Department has been able to develop several new facilities and extend its program offerings.

Lockamon and his colleagues now maintain and oversee more than 60 fields, dozens of neighborhood parks, sport-specific complexes and six full-service recreation centers. And the city recently opened a 26,000-square-foot skate and roller park, the largest in Southern Nevada.

Henderson residents can use those facilities by participating in the variety of programs that the city offers: everything from "pint-sized soccer" for the very young, to senior adult softball (for the still "young at heart").

Even with its fast-growing population, the city goes to great lengths to bring together all generations, and even has a facility that’s welcoming to all -- the Multigenerational Center and Aquatic Complex. One of the crown jewels of Henderson recreation, the 70,000 square-foot complex –- the largest in the state –- greets visitors with a 40-foot climbing wall at its entrance. Once inside, they can take part in just about any activity imaginable, including some special events that help the building live up to its name.

"We've developed some special programming to help bring the generations together," said Lockamon. "One of our successes was a multi-generational billiards tournament, where each team of two people had to be from different age brackets. We had parents and children, grandparents and their grandkids, and it was a lot of fun for all. We're now exploring ways to extend that model to other activities."

In poker terms, the residents of Henderson –- both young and old –- have been dealt a full house, and with the crowning of their city as an SI Sportstown, they now have another ace up their sleeve.