Parks board narrowly backs Brewer Arena ADA upgrades, grandstand design; stakeholders raise cost and program-use concerns

The Los Alamos Parks and Recreation Board voted 4–2 to recommend the Brewer Arena improvement package to County Council, advancing a conceptual design that includes ADA upgrades, a replaced grandstand with improved sightlines for wheelchair users, and chip-seal walkways as the recommended horse-friendly surface.

County project lead Mr. Naranjo presented design changes and costs: raising the elevation of some grandstand seating to improve wheelchair sightlines, centering the grandstand, a 15-foot setback from the arena fence, shallower seating steps with handrails, and an option to enlarge pavilion coverage over front seating for about $28,000. The county described a grandstand footprint of about 3,600 square feet with 768 seats plus eight wheelchair spaces and estimated a construction/renovation package in the multi-hundred-thousand to multi-million-dollar range depending on options; staff proposed remodeling the existing restroom facility (estimated ~$200,000) rather than installing vault toilets.

A major technical question was sidewalk material and horse safety. The county presented three surface types — hot-mix asphalt, chip seal and stamped asphalt — and reported a short straw-poll of users (10 responses) which favored chip seal as a balance of friction, durability and accessibility. Stakeholder representatives (Lasoa/Elweg) said their preference would be crusher-fines or compacted gravel where feasible but that they accepted chip seal among the three permanent options presented; they also stressed the county should avoid designing sidewalks that impede stable access and day-to-day operations for stable licensees.

Several equestrian representatives and other public commenters urged alternatives to the large permanent grandstand as proposed: build a smaller permanent grandstand with accessible seating and rely on portable bleachers (rented or county-owned) for peak rodeo attendance. Stakeholders said that approach would reduce the share of ADA/compliance funding spent on a facility used at full capacity only a few days a year. Staff responded that the capital funding for the project is in the county CIP bucket and that the arena is a unique venue warranting higher priority for ADA improvements.

After discussion the board moved the recommendation to forward the project to County Council for review and approval. Roll call: Member Schoffer (yes), Member Marsden (yes), Member Nepper (yes), Member Bowman (no), Member Cohen (no), Chair Watkins (yes). The motion passed 4–2. Staff said a task order reflecting refined contractor costs and final design elements will be presented to County Council in the coming months with public-comment opportunities at that stage.