by Sean Good
Daily Lobo
Disc golfers rejoice - Roosevelt Park has reopened.
Kiko Velasquez said he has been playing disc golf at the park for about 18 years.
"It's pretty exciting. It's a challenging course," he said. "I'm glad that we finally get to play our old course. It's such a beautiful park, anyhow."
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The renovation was worth the $2.8 million price tag and two-year face-lift, Mayor Martin Chávez said at a news conference June 18.
"This is the only park in the state that is of national historic register," he said. "More than that, it defines Albuquerque."
The renovation includes playground equipment, an updated irrigation system and disc golf equipment.
Chávez said the park's history is worth preserving, but it also made renovation difficult.
"One of the challenges has been making the park current, although it is also a historic site," he said.
Some residents opposed playground equipment because the park had not changed much since opening in 1934, Chávez said.
"I think wiser perspectives prevailed so that now families, particularly with young kids that want to play on the equipment, have it here for them," he said.
Student Danny Hernandez said the park is known for criminal activity.
"I'm just concerned that the crime will come back," he said. "In the past, we had a lot of issues with criminal activity taking place in the park - mostly drug dealing and prostitution."
Hernandez, president of the University Heights Neighborhood Association, said drunk people would frequent the park, where they could buy drugs and solicit sex.
Hopefully, the renovation will keep criminal activity from taking over again, he said.
"Perhaps, by this park being shut down, it's possible that will stop, because certainly there's none of that going on here today," he said.
Cecilia Romero said she wouldn't bring her children to the park before the renovation.
"It was not family-friendly at all," she said. "There were a lot of shady people here. Some of the stuff was not really appropriate for children to see."
Romero said the new look attracts families.
"We just love it right now. It's beautiful," she said. "I just hope these shady characters and hopeless people don't return. You have your kids around here, and you don't know what those people are capable of."
Robert Wood, member of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, said it was important to replace the irrigation to make the park nicer for families.
"The trees in here were originally planted back in the '20s when the park was initially developed," he said.
Wood said keeping the park in good shape should keep criminals out.
"We are hoping that the beauty of the park will make the community want to watch it more closely," he said. "That will keep criminal activity out so that families have the park to use."
