Tucked amid a sea of apartments and asphalt sits a half-acre island of refuge for visitors and southwest Reno families living near Berrum Lane’s Anderson Elementary School. Seeing the need for a safe spot where area children can play ball away from the streets and families to gather, a group of Rotarians in the mid-1990s pushed for the dirt site to become one of Reno’s numerous small parks scattered throughout the city. The once-blighted land lies in a four block area of Lakeside Drive just north of Moana Lane, which is covered by large scale apartment complexes built in the 1960s. Over the years, it ranked as one of Reno’s top crime ridden areas, often known for gang street fights, drive-by shootings and graffiti. That’s when the 100-member South Reno Rotary Club worked to clear the dilapidated, weed-covered area and create an oasis of refurbished basketball and sand volleyball courts, shaded picnic tables, upgraded lighting, drinking fountains, and playground with open lawns and landscaping. It became a nice complement to the nearby popular Virginia Lake, known for duck feeding and a mile-long path around the lake for walking and jogging.