This letter is provided as opinion/commentary from the author. Diane Denish is a former lieutenant governor of New Mexico and a strong advocate for children. She is a resident of the Netherwood Park neighborhood in Northeast ABQ. Have an opinion? Of course you do! You can submit your own: editor@citydesk.org
Recently, a local paper published articles on neighborhood discord at Netherwood Park in the heart of Albuquerque. The disagreement is over adding playground equipment versus leaving the park unobstructed open-space, with unlimited “nature play” opportunities.
Playground proponents have used “anything-goes” to get their way … including whispers of racism, alluding to ageism, and circumventing usual inclusion processes.
Right now though, something wonderful is happening at Netherwood Park: A new irrigation system is being installed, potentially saving millions of gallons of water (and money) each year. Residents are delighted to see this happening.
The new irrigation system represents a $600k investment of city and state funds and has been in the planning stages for 2 years or more. This timely irrigation investment casts further doubt, however, on whether spending $200k or more for a playground equipment is really justified. Those aren’t culture war issues; those are economics and priority issues; how are taxpayer dollars best spent?
Netherwood Park is a middle to upper income neighborhood with single-family homes as well as apartments. It already has abundant amenities, including 4 other parks with playground equipment within 1.7 miles. Why spend another $200k for playground equipment in an already comfortable area, and simultaneously obstruct one of the city’s beautiful, unique open-space parks?
The two main playground proponents’ “pitch” is that playground equipment will “bring families together.” They live close to, but not on the park, so they can’t observe the many activities of families, schools’ groups, kids’ sports, adult yoga, dance groups and others who already make great daily use of the park. They don’t experience children somersaulting in the grass, kids sliding down the slope in the snow, or adults taking a flyfishing class. The reality is that Netherwood’s open-space activities already bring children and families together daily.
Another economic issue is the haphazard legislative Capital Outlay process. Each senator had $4.17 million to distribute in 2024. The senator who allocated $200k to a Netherwood playground might have been swept up in the abundance of money he had to distribute; or perhaps he was simply a victim of “use it or lose it” timing pressure? But he did not ensure an inclusive process was followed in our neighborhood, or – perhaps most important – determine need. He didn’t attend the city meeting with residents where a playground was presented and widely opposed.
I am a strong advocate for keeping Netherwood Park an open, unobstructed natural playground. I am also a taxpayer who believes in spending money where need is greatest. Some areas in the South Valley have no sidewalks or drainage. Streets throughout Albuquerque, including in our area, need more funding for safe modern pedestrian crossings, traffic slow-down mechanisms, and streetscapes.
It’s hard to make a case that (after spending $600k on a park in an upper middle-class neighborhood already surrounded by amenities), $200k more for a playground is the best use of taxpayer dollars. I believe there are other more critical needs in Albuquerque.