Rio Rancho parks staff outline Phase 2, bond-funded projects and goat-grazing pilot in Bosque

Diane Sonnier, project division manager for Rio Rancho Parks and Recreation, told commissioners Aug. 19 that Park Phase 2 construction is scheduled to begin the coming week and is expected to take about five to six calendar months, with Compass Engineering and Construction Services the awarded contractor. "This next coming week, we should be having our Park Phase 2 project so very excited to see that get started," Sonnier said.

Sonnier said the commission previously reviewed conceptual plans and staff will bring construction updates to future agendas if commissioners have questions. She also briefed the commission on two bond projects approved by voters this spring — a Star Heights basketball court replacement and the Vista Sandia playground replacement — and said the city is awaiting cost estimates before moving to procurement.

The project update included several other capital and grant-funded efforts. Sonnier said the city has a state grant to add sports-field lighting to four Lisonbee League fields at Rio Rancho Sports Complex North to extend practice and tournament hours, but that geotechnical work and erosion remediation along the Montoya arroyo increased costs and final budgets remain pending governing-body approval. She characterized the lighting project as "a continuation" of recent safety improvements to the little-league fields.

A resurfacing project for slides at Haines and Rainbow pools was discussed; Sonnier said that one planned state grant to resurface the Haines slide will be postponed and that previous work resurfaced Rainbow’s fiberglass slide for safety. The city’s CDBG-funded replacement of the Star Heights skate park is on hold pending formal approval from HUD of the city’s plan, she said.

On habitat management, Sonnier described a new goat-grazing pilot in the Rio Rancho Bosque. Using a state forestry contract and local contractor Galloping Goat Ranch, the city is deploying goats to remove invasive, highly flammable plants such as kochia and Russian thistle. Sonnier said the awarded allocation will allow treatment "anywhere from, like, 21 to 25 acres" this year; she added that the first week likely covered roughly 8 to 9 acres and that crews will return around Sept. 9 to treat additional areas near the trail entrance.

Sonnier framed the grazing as a fire-risk reduction and habitat-restoration strategy. "By removing the seed source and the dry biomass, it acts as a fire buffer so that if there were to be a fire in that area, it's much easier for our firefighting staff to go in and address that," she said. Staff are also exploring seeding native vegetation and partnering with the Ciudad Soil and Water Conservation District and the Valle de Oro refuge on restoration and education.

What’s next: staff will bring budget and procurement updates to the governing body for approval before ordering equipment and moving forward with construction and larger maintenance efforts.