Community Services Corner: Day In The life Of Parks & Open Space

Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on August 17, 2023
- 10:14 am

By CORY STYRON
Community Services Department Director
Los Alamos County

I appreciate the support of our community as we celebrated Parks and Recreation month in July. Our team was extremely busy the first part of the month with the Summer Concert Series, Independence Day celebration at Overlook Park, and ScienceFest, along with the day-to-day work that keeps things going.

In August, I want to highlight our busy team with less than 20 employees, whose broad range of skills logistically make the County’s special events enjoyable and outdoor recreation amenities accessible and safe for everyday use – the Parks & Open Space division.

Parks & Open Space is led by Parks Superintendent Wendy Parker. Wendy is so passionate about her role in the community that she has “Park” in her last name! She is assisted by Assistant Parks Superintendent Emmanuel (Manny) Abeyta and Open Space Specialist Eric Peterson with the management and operations of the division. This division is a little misleading since the group does so much more than parks and trail maintenance. I want to help the public fully understand the enormity of how this team works hard every day to enhance your community.

Park Maintenance

We know park maintenance is a large part of the division’s efforts, but what does that mean? A team of 17 employees manages the daily operations of 39 parks across Los Alamos and White Rock, which is equivalent to 1,017 acres of developed parks. The team also provides maintenance for the outdoor space for all public buildings across the county, including the libraries, senior centers, fire stations, police station, all historic buildings, and green spaces. Park maintenance is important not only for your enjoyment of the parks, but for your safety.

Work includes mowing, trimming, restroom cleaning, irrigation maintenance, courts cleaning and maintenance (tennis, pickleball and basketball), trash removal, playground safety inspections, minor building repairs, and preventative maintenance. Included on this list are some of the community’s favorite specialty parks, such as the skate parks, disc golf courses, dog parks, and memorial bench program. When enjoying a lunchtime picnic or an afternoon stroll in your favorite park, take a moment to note what a wonderful job this team does.

Asset Administration, Operations and Maintenance

As I mentioned, the Parks and Open Space division does many less obvious tasks on a day-to-day basis, including administration, maintenance, and operations of several Los Alamos and White Rock areas you might not think of. Let’s discuss a few!

White Rock and Main Gate RV Parks – Management of the recreational use of the White Rock Visitor Center and Main Gate RV parks by our Parks team ensures users have paid overnight fees and honor the reservation requirements, while maintaining the cleanliness and safety of the parks. Each RV Park is very different and requires a variety of skills to keep them in top notch form.
North Mesa RV Storage – This facility provides 92 rental spaces for residents who pay an annual fee to store their RV’s. Parks ensures the rules are followed and the area is maintained. As a facility in high demand, there is an active wait list for these spots. If you are interested in being added to the waitlist, contact us at (505) 662-8170.
Athletic Fields – Did you know Los Alamos County has 18 formal and informal sports fields across Los Alamos and White Rock? Parks oversees the administration and maintenance of the fields to ensure they are ready for use by working directly with groups such as Los Alamos High School, Los Alamos Youth Soccer League and Los Alamos Little League, to name a few. One of the biggest challenges in keeping the turf at an acceptable standard is troubleshooting the gophers and other wildlife that also make Los Alamos County their home. Although they don’t play soccer or baseball, they seem to have a great appreciation for how wonderful our athletic fields are.
Camp May Campground – Camp May, located adjacent to Pajarito Ski Area, is a popular destination for picnics, camping, hiking, weddings, and many other recreational events. It is also one of our historic assets! Per the Los Alamos Historical Society, “the picnic shelter on the south side of the road includes a fireplace that was originally part of the Camp May Cabin built by the Los Alamos Ranch School in 1922-1923. The stone fireplace is the only remnant that remains from the original Camp May Cabin, and it is incorporated in the area of covered picnic tables to the left of the entry road.” Parks provides the daily operations of the campground, but the campers themselves play a major role in keeping sites clean during their stay.
North Mesa Stables & the Community Garden – Another unusual responsibility handled by our Parks division is administering the annual license process for the stables, maintaining the common areas (e.g. Brewer Arena and the roads), and meeting customer service needs of the stable owners and citizens with reserved plots in the community garden areas. The stables were established and became operational in the early days of Los Alamos as part of the quitclaim deed of 1978. The licensees today embody the ranching heritage of the Pajarito Plateau prior to the federal government acquiring the land for the Manhattan Project. The Community Garden, adjacent to the stables, provides residents with the opportunity to have a plot of land for growing vegetables and enjoying the fresh produce spring, summer, and fall.
Guaje Pines Cemetery – Parks’ employees are dedicated to this final resting place. The team works closely with local and regional funeral homes to meet the needs of a loved one’s family and friends. As these are very stressful times for a family, the Parks’ crew pays close attention to details to ensure the interment process meets desired expectations. Members of the team provide grave side openings, grave closures, or columbarium services. Guaje Pines is maintained year-round in its beautiful, serene location for visitors to remember loved ones.
Historic Fuller Lodge/Ashley Pond Park – My highlight would not be complete without mentioning two of our most treasured, historical areas in Los Alamos County: Fuller Lodge and Ashley Pond Park. The Parks team manages the daily maintenance of the entire Fuller Lodge campus which includes outdoor facilities in the area along Bathtub Row, the Ancestral Pueblo cultural site, the Memorial Rose Garden, and the Baker House. As one of the community’s most visited and used assets, individuals and organizations utilize these sites year-round for an area to exercise, to dine during the week, to tour and learn about the history of this area, and for all manner of gatherings and events. Over 150 events are held annually at Ashley Pond Park, with the most notable being the Friday night concerts during the summer months. The Parks’ team is on site for every concert, cleaning before and after the event, and ensuring the park is ready to welcome everyone. Although Parks’ staff doesn’t manage the wildlife, Ed and Gwen (our local geese) do enjoy the cool water at the pond and an opportunity to greet our employees when they arrive.

The Parks Division also provides logistical support for Recreation Division Special Events, such as the County Fair and Rodeo held this past weekend, and others throughout the community. The team helps with event set up, break down, litter control and restroom cleaning. Some other events this team supports include Movies in the Park, the annual Independence Day celebration, ScienceFest’s 10-day festival, weekly Farmers Markets, Atomicon held in early August, and more. During the winter months, Parks stays busy installing holiday lights, supporting County-wide snow removal operations, and providing logistical support for winter events, like the annual Winterfest weekend.

As you can see, this group of employees has a diverse skill set and is constantly on the go. Parks carries a lot of responsibility for its small but dedicated team, which is committed to doing an outstanding job.

Trails and Open Space

The Open Space side of the Parks and Open Space division provides management and maintenance of all County trails and open space across the community. This team of just two staff members has rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic with a robust volunteer program and the addition of contract support to keep the safety of all trails and open space to the highest standard, including wrangling cattle from time to time!

The Open Space group has over 120 miles of developed trails to maintain and over 5,000 acres of designated open space. Many trails connect or continue on to trails operated and maintained by the National Forest Service, National Park Service, and the Department of Energy (Los Alamos National Laboratory trails). Trails are one of the highest ranked amenities in our community for use and need. The Open Space team works to balance maintenance with the needs of all users and visitors across the community.

Recently, the Open Space team was awarded two grants from the State of New Mexico Economic Development Department Outdoor Recreation Division – Recreational Trails: one to build an equestrian trail connecting the stables with Bayo Canyon, and one for an ADA accessible trail in Kinnikinnik Park. If you have not been out to Bayo Canyon lately, we encourage you to put on your hiking boots and check out the most recent upgrades. The Bayo Canyon Access Trail Improvement Project encompassed widening 1,100 linear feet of trail to 6 feet, which improved equestrian access on the multi-use trail system, allowing horses to pass or turnaround.

Parks and Open Space is a very busy team, working hard seven days a week to keep our local outdoor assets healthy, safe, and beautiful for all to enjoy. This dedicated team takes pride in their work and are committed to serving the community. I encourage residents to notify us of issues or areas that require attention. The best ways to contact us is by phone or email: 505.662.8170 or lacrec@lacnm.us. Another option is to download the free Los Alamos Now app. While the app covers a variety of county departments and services, each park is featured along with its amenities and the app also allows users to report an issue directly from their phone.