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in Southern Nevada |
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in Southern Nevada |
Over the past twenty years, Southern Nevada has grown from a population of 405,376 in 1977 to an astounding 1,246,693 in 1998....and we’re still growing. From a relatively compact metropolis bounded by Sunset Road to the south, Rainbow Boulevard to the west, Ann Road to the north, and Sloan/Stephanie to the east, a succession of suburban master-planned communities has replaced old boundaries in the Las Vegas valley. New frames of reference, new places to work, and new places to call home have reshaped our community vision as well as our local landscape. Where will the boundaries be twenty years from now? Unfettered suburban sprawl is not an option. If we plan for the future, we can preserve the natural integrity of our region and still accommodate growth.
The gaming and tourist industry has diversified, yielding bigger and better luxury resorts and local favorites which are multi-faceted and family-oriented. Bigger and better means more visitors, more jobs, more development....and more infrastructure. Commuter streets and arterials, flyovers and walkovers, parkways and freeways that didn’t exist twenty years ago now link the old with the new, but all major travel routes are congested, wasting time and polluting the environment. Increased demands on our transportation systems have significantly impacted the daily quality of our lives. The beltway is coming, but will it be enough? A monorail may be next. If current transportation needs are staggering, what will they be like in another twenty years? Anticipating our needs will empower us to meet them.
Healthy, dynamic communities are committed to their future survival and prosperity, and a sound educational system is a key factor of this commitment. Over the past twenty years, the Clark County School District has grown from 108 schools to 219. Eighth largest in the nation, it nurtures the education of over 200,000 students. Our future. Enrollment at UNLV has more than doubled, more than tripled at CCSN, and both have dramatically expanded their degree programs. Yet despite the lively statistics, our educational facilities and programs barely meet today’s needs, and our population continues to rapidly grow. Quality of education? This critical challenge at the core of our educational needs must be addressed. Over the next twenty years, the changing demographic, academic, and professional needs of southern Nevada will continue to impact our educational system in its entirety. Now is the best time to anticipate future needs.
A unique blend of diverse cultural elements, Southern Nevada has always been more than the gaming and tourist industry....and always will be. It is a genuine community. Young and old, individuals and families, Southern Nevadans share important community needs and share the responsibility of meeting those needs. The challenge of continued growth requires vision and dedication. The “can do” attitude and unlimited imagination of our community are tremendous resources, but we need a road map to the future. We need a plan. Twenty years from now, how do we want our housing, health care, and public safety needs to be met? Will our parks and recreation facilities be sufficient? Will our economy sustain us? Will our land use and development patterns please us? What about the air we breathe and the water that sustains all desert life? What strategies can we implement now to help us build the future we want? Will we be ready? Twenty years from now is sooner than we think.