A neighborhood watch group asked the Española School Board for access to one of its vacated properties in Alcalde during the public participation portion of the Board’s June 4 meeting. The group wants to revive the property to make it more presentable and turn it into a location where people from Alcalde and the surrounding areas can gather.
Arsenio Martinez, a member of Alcalde Neighborhood Watch, went before members of the Board to ask permission to use the abandoned Alcalde Elementary School site and turn it into a community center.
“Our vision for the park is to create an open space that is safe and accessible to the community of Alcalde, where young and old alike can gather and enjoy a private hub that helps bind the community together,” Martinez said.
The Group would act as the caretaker of the property, Martinez said. They will be responsible for maintaining the property and ensuring it does not become a place where illegal activity occurs.
In exchange, Alcalde Neighborhood Watch members want access to the location’s amenities such as the vacated school building and the green space on the property. They also want the opportunity to make some changes to the property, turning the school into a community center where people can congregate to spend time with friends and family.
According to the presentation, the Alcalde Neighborhood Watch has already mapped out the changes that it wants to make to the property, both for the short- and long-term.
Within a few months, they want to clean up the area by pulling weeds and getting rid of local vegetation that has grown, making the location more presentable to visitors. They want to place a walking path along the perimeter of the property and put in a basketball court, so community members can get some exercise. They want to build a community garden and rent out plots where part-time farmers can have a place to grow their vegetables and flowers.
Finally, they want to construct a playground for the local children and put in picnic tables and park benches so people have a place to relax and unwind.
In the long run, from six months to one year, group members want to recondition the abandoned school building and turn it into a community center.
They will reconnect the pipes and wires that bring water and heat into the building and they will flatten the plot of land adjacent to the school, so it is safe for people to walk.
Members hope the community center will be a place where they can take horticulture classes or gather for various events.
The project does carry some risk for Alcalde Neighborhood Watch. As caretaker of the property, the Watch would have no rights to the property and must withdraw from the property the moment the District requests it.
If that happens, then the Watch must uproot all of its projects and move to a different location.
Martinez believes this is a good deal for the Board because he said the group’s work will beautify the area and increase its value, making it easier to sell.
Martinez also believes this project will bring some positive changes to the area.
“It will energize the community and it will instill pride in the community,” Martinez said. “It will offer the community a gathering place. That’s what it will do for the community.”
According to the documents the group provided, the Watch was established in June 2012 by Elizabeth Romero and Louella Medina. It has several initiatives planned besides renovating the former Alcalde School. Members, in collaboration with the North Central Solid Waste Authority, established neighborhood cleanup days.
They have also updated maps of households in the area so emergency response vehicles will have an easier time finding a location when they are called to a scene.
The renovation is in the early stages. Before the Watch can begin anything on the site, it must get permission from the Board. Members have taken the issue under advisement, but want more time to make a decision on the matter.
No future meetings have been planned regarding the use of the location.