In 1998, regular citizens and agency representatives came together to plan the 35-mile long River Mountains loop. They met great success with this first significant public/ private partnership created to make a trail of this scope a reality in this Valley. The OLVF was part of this group, and this first success inspired the OLVF to bring together the Vias de Vegas Committee, which in turn gave birth to the 2007 Open Space & Trails Summit (sponsored by a number of entities including the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition (SNRPC) and the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership). The Summit gave birth to a new dawn of regional cooperation and commitment to creating the trails and open space that our world-class community deserves.
After the Summit, the Open Space Advisory Committee was formed by the SNRPC to look at an inspired idea nested in the Las Vegas Valley Open Space Plan: A loop of trails and open space around our valley creating a buffer for recreation and protection of our spectacular Valley. Funded by the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition and Clark County, a consultant worked with staff and the Open Space Advisory Committee (composed of business people, environmentalists, and agency representatives) to turn an idea into a defined and feasible concept. This concept was presented to the Southern Nevada Planning Coalition on November 2009. SNRPC loved the idea, and endorsed it, but with the tough economic times, they could not provide further funding.
This was a special idea. The Open Space Advisory Committee did not want to see it shelved as a just another great idea that simply never became reality. They saw the potential for the community. A group formed from the committee: The Great Circle Leadership Coalition. They came to the OLVF with a challenge: Don’t let this great idea stay on a shelf. Take this from concept to reality. Be the leader. The Foundation trustees stepped to the plate, and accepted the challenge.