Due to vandalism and theft, Doña Ana County is considering closing the Dolores Wright Center Park and Colquitt Community Center in Chaparral.
Residents in Chaparral recently addressed the Doña Ana County Commission and have been speaking out about the value of the Park to the community.
Adrian Yañez has lived in Chaparral for most of his life. He has volunteered over 500 hours at youth camps held at the park. He says that if the park is closed there will be even less options for recreational activities in the community.
“Here in Chaparral there is not really much to do, so this park is really a blessing for us,” says Yañez.
Carmen Espinoza lives in Chaparral and watches children at the park while their parents are taking health awareness classes at the park’s center. She says that residents have been talking with one another to figure out what they can do as a community.
“Yes, we have been talking about that. We as parents need to be conscious of what our children are doing, because we had some kids from the ages of 7-12 who came to the park around one to two in the morning and they broke the windows (of the center). We as parents are aware, but we want the best for our children, and in fact we need the park so kids won’t be in other places and don’t go with older kids or are just sitting around watching TV.”
Kari Bachman, Coordinator for Dona Ana County PLACE MATTERS, a group that works to addresses the root cause of health inequities says that parks go far beyond just physical activity, they are an important resource especially in rural communities like Chaparral.
“It’s a place for community members to come together in a positive atmosphere; not a formal setting, and you really see those ties begin to build. Social cohesion improves and that’s a mark of a healthy community.”
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Dona Ana County Director of Public Information, Jess Williams says the county doesn’t want to close the park, but it cannot continue to sustain damage that is costing the county thousands of dollars.
“The Community feels very strongly about keeping the parks open, so do we but there’s got to be a balance there. What’s in everybody’s best interest and what everybody hopes is the outcome is that the community can help us identify who is causing the damage so we can prosecute those people.”
Dona Ana County Sheriff, Enrique “Kiki” Vigil says his department is stepping up patrols in Chaparral. He recently told the county commission that he does not want the parks to close and become a haven for vandals and drug dealers.
“The closure of these parks. We cannot allow that to happen. We have all these kids that are on breaks from school. They have to have a place to go for recreation. I’m presently working with County Commissioner David Garcia that represents that district and also the County Manager to keep these parks open.”
Resident, Adrian Yañez says he hopes that community members will now look out for the park and call the authorities when they see any criminal activity.
“I feel that there needs to be more support from the community, to keep an eye, to keep watch, and really report to the police what’s going on here.”
Community members have been meeting with one another and they have been also sharing their thoughts on social media on what they can do themselves to keep the park clean, safe and most of all open.
