Work begins on ballparks project

Work began last week on a long-delayed baseball and softball park development project on Tucumcari's west side.

Work started the morning of July 18 in clearing trees. During his superintendent's report at a school board meeting later that evening, Aaron McKinney said a long-awaited survey on the site had been finished, and the Tucumcari City Commission soon would approve the deed of its property to the school district, likely at its July 28 meeting.

Voters approved a $3 million bond issue in February 2019 for the ballpark redevelopment. The project encountered delays because of the COVID-19 pandemic, then by the unexpected complexity of surveying the site that included city and county land. The architect also revised the plan due to rising costs.

McKinney said demolition would have begun a week earlier, but three maintenance workers for the district had contracted COVID-19.

Asked by board member Jerry Lopez how long the demolition would take, McKinney said about two months.

McKinney said the school district would use its own equipment and workers for demolition because it would be less expensive than hiring a contractor. He said the district has hired an additional maintenance worker expressly for the project.

Once that's done, McKinney said he would let construction bids for the project through Cooperative Educational Services, a process that is shorter than the typical 60-day window for bidding.

McKinney said he has requested the city to remove its equipment, such as bleachers, in a timely manner but noted its workforce is shorthanded.

"I'm glad we're finally getting going on the ballparks," Lopez said, who for months had voiced frustrations over the project's delays.

Lopez and board President Heather Gonzales said school officials should press the city to remove its equipment quickly and not tie up the project.

Gonzales, noting condition of the Little League fields, said she doubted whether the city gave much priority to infrastructure for children's activities.

"It's about the people that travel through and not about the kids," she said.