“It’s nice, but a little too nice”

We’ve had a lot of support for the Little Ash Proposal, but there have been a few comments/questions along the lines of, “This is really great, but it’s a little too elaborate, and how are we going to pay for this?”

First, let’s talk about the proposal looking “a little too nice.” We are extremely fortunate that committee vice president Sam Lytle knows how to create 3D renderings of potential projects. The images and videos he volunteered his time to build allows people to actually visualize what we are proposing and see how amazing Little Ash could potentially be.

That being said, what you see in those images isn’t necessarily exactly what the final product will be. It’s simply a concept, subject to modifications. For example, the parking lot may not end up being paved. The different shades of dirt/gravel you see may end up just being the natural dirt that’s already there. And the configuration of the pools may change. A lot of it depends on costs and what will be included in the final plan.

But make no mistake, we want Little Ash to be improved to make it a more enjoyable place for recreation. We would like to see the pool fixed up and perhaps expanded, we would like to see better restroom facilities and a changing area. We would like there to be places to sit, picnic, walk, and places for the kids (and kids at heart) to play. We would like to see better parking and an improved access road.

Most importantly, we would like to see Little Ash well-managed by a local group, so it can remain a safe, well-kept spot that our community can enjoy for generations.

Paying for It

Now as far as paying for such a project, Friends of Pahranagat Valley has been set up as a non-profit in order to raise money for these types of endeavors. Our group is made up of local residents with a desire to “serve, preserve and enhance Pahranagat Valley.” We take on projects that fulfill our mission, seeking local input throughout the process.

We do not yet know exactly what Little Ash improvements will cost, because we don’t have a final plan yet, but we will need to raise money to make improvements. Once it’s time to start raising funds, Friends of Pahranagat Valley will be positioned to do just that. We believe we can raise the money through private donations. There is also the possibility of public funding through local, state, and federal funds that have been reserved for these types of projects.

In terms of the cost of managing Little Ash, our proposal includes a fee structure to enter the site. These are very reasonable and include a one-year pass, as well as single-day passes. The fees will fund management of Little Ash, allowing us to hire 1-2 employees to be on site and keep the area clean and running smoothly.

Thanks for your questions/comments, and as always, we welcome your input.